Colt Super 38 SN 78616 was originally shipped from the factory to T.C. McPartland, a Colt Sales representative, on October 22, 1948 in a single gun shipment. The records list this pistol as C engraved. We assume it was for Colt’s display at the 1948 NRA Convention.

Interestingly, 1948 was the 1st annual NRA show held in Washington DC. This pistol is shown in several 1950’s Gun magazines as an example of fancy guns available. A time when Colt was still desperately trying to regain the momentum lost after the WW2 years. The abrupt end to the wartime contracts devastated Colts workforce and it would be years before they would regain the production levels they had prior to the war era. This pistol was kept by Colt as part of its traveling display until 1968, when it and various other engraved guns were sold to a New Jersey retailer as one lot. It was housed in a 1960’s era wood grain box hand numbered to the gun. The gun also came with a pair of 1960’s burl wood grips with gold Colt medallions. It is shown with period Ivory grips with Colt medallions. According to author Doug Sheldon, only 38 pre-war Super 38’s were factory engraved with a total of 9 being exported. Mr Sheldon noted that he had only observed 2 post-war factory engraved Super 38’s, both of which are pictured in his book, Colt’s Super 38 "The Production History" from 1929 through 1971. RL Wilson’s Book of Colt Firearms estimates 6 postwar Supers were engraved.

A seriously RARE Colt!

The artist who engraved this pistol is unknown at this time. I have consulted most of the known experts and collectors of engraved Colts. None of them have been able to make a diagnosis of it.

We know that Colt did sent pistols to engravers outside the factory during this time frame. One such pair of pistols was sent to Griffin and Howe in NYC to be engraved by Joseph Fugger. This pair was a gift for President Truman and currently resides in the Presidential Library and Museum of Harry S. Truman. The engraving on 78616 does not appear to be from the hand of wither Glahn or Gough. The only two known Colt Factory engravers of the day. RL Wilson suggested that Bill McGraw, Ithaca’s in house engraved may have engraved some Colts. However, when I consulted Ithaca author and noted expert Walter Snyder, he did not believe this to be McGraws’s hand. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful example of workmanship.

Hopefully someday new information will come to light and we will know more about the early postwar engraved Colts.