Description
Every now and then, Colt builds something that feels more like a love letter than a firearm. The 150th Anniversary Engraving Sampler is exactly that, a celebration of the engravers who defined Colt’s artistic legacy, brought together in one extraordinary revolver. Only 53 of these were ever made, each processed under Colt Custom Shop Order No. 3322. That’s not just rare—that’s museum-grade.
This Single Action Army showcases a “Type B” scroll engraving that reads like a visual timeline of Colt’s finest hands. Henshaw’s elegant scrolls sweep across the backstrap and trigger guard. Nimschke’s bold flourishes dance around the cylinder. Helfricht’s signature curves decorate the frame, and a modern contemporary motif carries through the barrel and ejector housing. Each name, each flourish, tells a story of a time, a hand, a style.
And then there are the details that make it unmistakably special. The backstrap bears a 150% Rampant Colt logo, line-cut engraved with precision, while “Colt Engraving Sampler” is etched in flowing script beneath it. The ivory scrimshaw grips bring everything full circle, inscribed with the names and years of the legendary artisans: R. Menshan (1831), L. Nimschke (1850–1900), C. Helfricht (1871–1921), and the modern “Contemporary” engraver who continues the craft.
This revolver isn’t about performance; it’s about heritage. It’s about the hands that shaped Colt’s history and the collectors who refuse to let that history fade. Whether displayed in a case or admired up close, this 150th Anniversary Sampler stands as one of Colt’s most thoughtful tributes to its own artistry.
