This L.D. Nimschke master engraved ejectorless "Sheriff's Model" Colt Single Action Army Revolver dates to 1882 and is among the rarest of all Colt Single Action Army revolvers. The ejectorless configuration alone would make this revolver highly sought after by Colt collectors. In "The Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, 1873-1895" the authors stressed the rarity of the ejectorless SAAs as a whole (barrel lengths ranged from 2 1/2 to 7 1/2 inches in the study) and state that "just under 600 ejectorless Single Action Army revolvers were produced in all calibers from 1882 to the 1930s." These revolvers are among the rarest of all Colts, representing less than 0.17% of the total First Generation revolvers. Adding significantly to the rarity is that this revolver was shipped "soft" from the factory for engraving in New York by L.D. Nimschke. While we have sold a small number of ejectorless Colt Model 1877 Thunderer and Lightning revolvers engraved by Nimschke, we find no other example of a Nimschke engraved Sheriff's Model Single Action Army in our extensive records, and R.L. Wilson shows only one other example, sn. 132084, in "The Colt Engraving Book Volume One." The icing on the cake for this already extremely desirable revolver is the fact that it is documented as owned by Texas Ranger Benjamin Franklin Finn (1865-1943). Taken as a whole, this is among the rarest and most desirable of all Colts. The factory letter confirms this revolver was in .45 caliber with a 4 inch barrel and "Blue-Soft" finish (stocks not listed) when sold and shipped to Schoverling, Daly & Gales of New York City on September 5, 1882. The letter further notes that the 4 inch barrel indicated the revolver was a "Sheriff's or Storekeeper's type Single Action Army" and that the "soft" notation indicates the revolver's frame and loading gate were not casehardened, so that they could be engraved outside of the factory. The revolver is featured on page 342 of "The Colt Engraving Book, Volume One" by R.L. Wilson where it is noted as engraved by L.D. Nimschke. The revolver features stunning scroll engraving throughout with beaded backgrounds, wavy line designs primarily forming the borders, entwining wavy line designs down the back strap, ornate fan designs on the recoil shield and loading gate as well as the top of the back strap, and dot accents. The 4 inch barrel has a rounded blade front sight, the two-line address on top, and no provisions for an ejector. The "black powder" frame also correctly has no provisions for an ejector and has the three-line patent marking on the left side. The left side of the trigger guard is marked "45 CAL". The assembly number "3096" is on the loading gate, and serial number "80118" is marked on the frame, trigger guard, and back strap. The revolver is accompanied by a rare unmarked single loop brown leather holster appropriately sized for a Single Action Army with a 4 inch barrel. The included notarized statement from May D. Finn, widow of Benjamin F. Finn, states that this revolver was owned by her husband who joined the Texas Rangers when he was 15 in 1879. He served in Captain George W. Baylor's "A" Company in the Frontier Battalion and was discharged on February 28, 1882. She writes, "Capt. Geo. W. Baylor obtained this SA Colt #80118 during the capture of a desperado, and held a contest with his men to see who would win it. Mr. Finn fired 5 shots at a bell in a bell tower across the street, and hit it 5 times. He won the above mentioned Colt SA. Mr. Finn, with this gun, went on several trips with the Rangers in search of Geronimo, the famous Indian warrior." She sold the revolver to Robert E. Townsend of Townsend Trading Post on May 12, 1960. Finn's discharge signed by Baylor is included in the documentation file and a copy is framed. It states that he was discharged "by reason of his own request, and I take pleasure in testifying to his uniform good conduct whilst a member of my Co." Some period records give conflicting dates in regards to his exact period of service in the Texas Rangers. His included obituary indicates that he served in the rangers in 1882-1883. His Veteran Administration card lists an enlistment date of September 9, 1881, and a discharge date of July 3, 1882. These same dates are also given in an included letter from State Archivist Dorman H. Winfrey to R.E. Townsend in 1960. The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum has Finn's compass in their collection (Catalog #: 2000.049.001.1). The famous Frontier Battalion was organized in 1874 by Governor Richard Coke and contained six 75-man companies of Texas Rangers. As the name indicates, the battalion was designed to defend the Texan frontier which was rife with outlaws and a target for Indian raids. These brave men were spread thin across a long frontier line to fight against Indian attacks and outlaws during Reconstruction and were often heavily outnumbered, as was the case when their commander, Major John B. Jones, led 27-40 rangers in an attack against a party of most than 125 Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache led by Lone Wolf at Lost Valley. The Texas State Historical Association notes: "The work of the Frontier Battalion in making Texas 'a fairly safe place in which to live' was largely responsible for the tradition which came to surround the term, 'Texas Ranger.'" George W. Baylor (1832-1916) was a former Confederate, and, in 1879, he served as a lieutenant in Company C of the Frontier Battalion of Texas Rangers in El Paso and worked with Mexican authorities and the U.S. military to fight against raids by a band of Apaches led by Victorio during Victorio's War. Victorio was killed by the Mexican Army at the Battle of Tres Castillos in October 1880, but some of the Apache continued to raid in both Mexico and the U.S. After an attack on a stagecoach in Quitman Canyon in early 1881 by a band of Mescalero Apaches, Captain Baylor's men followed their trail and launched a surprise attack. Texas newspapers listed his report: "Eagle Springs, February 2d. Lieut. Nevilles and I surprised a party of Indians in the Sierra Diablo mountains on the 29th, and killed six and captured three Indians and sixteen head of stock. Several of their trails were bloody where they ran off. These are the same Indians that massacred Mrs. Graham, in Bass canyon, soldiers at Hot Springs and the state driver and passengers in Quitman canyon." The Austin American-Statement reported "The above fight occurred not far from Eagle Springs, and the result of it will probably teach the festive Indian that it is exceedingly unhealthy to have Texas rangers after them." This proved to be partially true. Though some thefts and attacks by Indians continued in the area, other Apaches groups conducted raids and battled with the U.S. military in New Mexico and Arizona until 1890, and the Apache battled in Mexico into the 20th century, Baylor's raid on the Apache camp is considered the last Indian battle fought in Texas. As such, it marks an end to decades of bloody conflict between Texans and the various tribes of the region. Baylor's men continued to scout and watch for hostile Apaches. His company was disbanded in 1885. A clipping of Finn's obituary is included and provides details of his later life. His family moved to Kansas early in his life and were associated with the railroads. After leaving the Texas Rangers, he moved to Halstead, Kansas, in 1884 and was master of the railroad yards and studied medicine under Dr. Hoover. He graduated from the Washington Medical College in 1890 and practiced in Webb City, Missouri, and multiple towns in Kansas. In 1904, he married May Drumm of Cedar Vale, and the two traveled extensively, including to Alaska were Dr. Finn was a chief surgeon at a hospital. In 1918, the government called on him to travel to Denver, Colorado, during the influenza epidemic, and he remained for several years in his own practice and managed a drug store. He moved to Los Angeles and was the ship surgeon on the initial voyage of the S.S. City of Los Angeles. While at sea in 1927, he suffered from a "heart ailment" which ultimately led to his death at the Veterans Administration hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on August 23, 1943. He had been living in Albuquerque for 20 months. He was buried in Garden City, Kansas, where his son was living at the time and where May D. Finn was also buried in 1961 after dying at the age of 78. The revolver was purchased by Brig Pemberton from Robert E. Townsend in 1967. Provenance: Texas Ranger Benjamin Franklin Finn; May D. Finn; The Robert E. Townsend Collection; The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection

Exceptionally fine with crisp engraving and markings, 75% plus untouched nickel plating, light nitre blue on the screws, gray and brown patina on the balance, some mild pitting, and generally mild overall wear. The grip is very fine and has attractive natural aged patina and grain, minor age lines, and a couple of small flakes on the right at the toe. The action functions but does not allow the cylinder to rotate for loading. The holster is very good with mild wear. Do not miss your opportunity to get your hands on one of the rarest and most historic engraved Sheriff Model Colt Single Action Army revolvers ever made. This revolver has been tucked away in the Brig & Louis Pemberton Collection for over half a century and may never appear again on the market in our lifetimes!