Historic Factory Documented Exhibition Quality William H. Gough Factory Engraved Colt Government Model Semi-Automatic Pistol

Manufactured in 1919, this exceptional and fully documented Colt Government Model pistol is an exhibition-grade masterpiece engraved by renowned Master Engraver William H. Gough. In the 1920s, it was presented by the governor of Connecticut and his associates to the governor of Florida. According to the included factory letter, this pistol was shipped “Green” (unfinished) to William H. Gough in Utica, New York, on May 29, 1919, as part of a three-gun order fitted with ivory stocks. The letter further states that the pistol was later returned to the factory, inscribed to “Sen. Gen. Francisco Arteyo,” and shipped to Sr. Don Metquiades Garcia at the General Contracting & Communications Co. This shipment, recorded on page 269 of The Government Models by Goddard, took place on July 25, 1919. The two consecutively numbered pistols following this example (C121327 and C121328) are also documented with similar factory engraving, personalized inscriptions to different recipients, and identical ivory stocks, all shipped the same day. One was inscribed to “Wm. E. Brisbin” and another to “Gen. Pablo Gonzales.” These three presentation-grade pistols appear to have been intended for figures connected to the Mexican Revolution. All were returned to the factory in December 1926, though the exact reason remains unknown—possibly linked to the political changes following the revolution’s conclusion just over a year later.

The factory letter further confirms that this pistol was returned to the factory on December 10, 1926, reconfigured in .45 caliber with a 5-inch barrel, blue finish, plain ivory grips bearing a gold seal of Connecticut on one panel and the seal of Florida on the other, and shipped on January 13, 1927, to Governor John H. Trumbull of Connecticut for presentation to Governor John W. Martin of Florida. Also included is a signed letter from Mary Rehbaum Wareing, great-niece of Governor Martin, attesting that the pistol remained in the Martin family from its presentation until its public offering. The original presentation plaque on the lid of the fitted case states that the pistol was presented to Governor Martin by Governor Trumbull, Robbins B. Stoeckel, J. Henry Roraback, and Colonel Charles H. Allen in December 1926 as a token of appreciation and affection.

In September 1926, during Martin’s governorship, Florida was struck by the catastrophic Category 4 “Great Miami Hurricane,” which devastated the city, caused 372 deaths, displaced more than 38,000 people, and inflicted record-setting economic losses (in modern terms surpassing Hurricane Katrina by over $100 billion). Newspaper accounts suggest that Governor Trumbull sent his sympathies to Martin following the storm, possibly marking the start of their friendship. On December 7, 1926, Trumbull arrived in Tallahassee with Stoeckel, Roraback, and Allen for a friendly hunting excursion. The visit began with a reception at the governor’s mansion, followed by several days of hunting in Taylor and Jefferson counties. On January 11, 1927, Florida papers reported Trumbull’s intention to return later that month, publicly praising Martin’s hospitality and the camaraderie of the December hunt.

The Miami Herald reported on January 30, 1927, that Governor Martin had received “an automatic pistol, inlaid with gold and ivory, the finest product of the Colt factory,” presented in a mahogany case bearing the names of the Connecticut delegation. The article clearly ties the gift to their December hunting trip. Later that year, Martin invited Trumbull to return for another hunt, joking that the “game is tied to a tree for him,” hinting at the lighthearted friendship between the two men.

The pistol itself stands as an extraordinary example of early 20th-century Colt artistry. Gough’s masterful vine-and-leaf scroll engraving, set against a finely matted background, covers nearly every surface. Zig-zag borders decorate the grip straps and frame bottom, with a stippled strip along the slide’s top. The left side of the slide bears the two-line, two-block patent dates and address with the Rampant Colt between, while the right has the caliber marking. The right side of the frame displays the model marking above the serial number. The blued barrel features a polished chamber hood and small inspector-style markings. “326” is hand-engraved on the lower slide edge, likely a Gough assembly mark. The pistol retains early “old style” Model 1911 features, including a smooth flat mainspring housing, long trigger, wide checkered hammer, and absence of A1 frame bevels.

Factory-documented smooth ivory grips are adorned with the gold seals of Florida and Connecticut, with the Connecticut seal’s motto scrimshawed below. The magazine is two-tone and unmarked. Housed in its original leather-wrapped mahogany case lined in blue and fitted to the pistol, the set includes the original gilt-finished brass plaque.