Immensely Rare Well-Documented Gold Plated and William Gough Factory Presentation Master Engraved Colt First Generation Single Action Army Revolver Factory Inscribed to Dr. W. D. Haas of Oak Hall, with Carved Steer Head Pearl Grip and Factory Letter, Featured in "Fine & Historic Arms Annual"

A truly exceptional Colt collectible, this gold-plated First Generation Single Action Army is a factory presentation revolver with master engraving by William Gough, a documented Dr. W. D. Haas inscription, factory letter confirmation, carved pearl grips, and published provenance, placing it among the most desirable and rarest Colt SAA variations.

• Gold-plated Colt First Generation Single Action Army revolver with ultra-deluxe factory presentation features
• Master engraved by William Gough for the Colt factory
  • Gough-engraved Colt firearms are significantly rarer than examples by many other Colt engravers
  • Highly prized by advanced Colt collectors
  • Engraving displays Gough’s signature profuse foliate scroll pattern with shaded background lines
• Considered one of the rarest Colt First Generation Single Action Army revolvers due to its combination of:
  • Special-order factory engraving
  • Full gold plating
  • Presentation inscription
  • Factory relief-carved pearl grip
• Factory letter confirms the revolver was:
  • Shipped May 5, 1922
  • Sent in a 2-gun shipment
  • Shipped to Stauffer Eshleman Company in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Factory engraved
  • Finished in gold
  • Chambered in .38/40 caliber
  • Fitted with a 7 1/2-inch barrel
  • Equipped with a carved steer head pearl grip
  • Inscribed on the butt: “Dr. W. D. Haas, Oak Hall”
• Rarity and collector significance:
  • Only a very small percentage of Colt Single Action Army revolvers were factory engraved
  • Most factory-engraved examples were finished in blue and case-hardened or nickel
  • Deluxe finishes such as gold or silver plating are very rare
  • The addition of a factory presentation inscription and relief-carved pearl grip makes this example rarer still
  • Fewer than 500 Colt Single Action Army revolvers are believed to have been factory engraved in the period after Cuno Helfricht, circa 1921 to 1940
  • Only as many as 4,500 total factory-engraved Colt First Generation Single Action Army revolvers are believed to exist across all factory engravers
  • More than 357,000 Colt First Generation Single Action Army revolvers were manufactured, making Gough factory-engraved examples exceptionally scarce
• Historic and cultural importance:
  • The Colt Single Action Army remains one of America’s most famous firearms
  • Its enduring appeal comes from its association with the American West, U.S. military service, and iconic film heroes
  • Factory-embellished Colt SAAs remain among the most desirable collectible firearms
• Presentation recipient:
  • Factory inscribed to Dr. William David Haas of Louisiana
  • Full name: Dr. William David Haas
  • Born May 9, 1867
  • Died August 26, 1940
  • Associated with Oak Hall plantation, which still stands today as a historical landmark just south of Bunkie, Louisiana
• Dr. Haas provenance and biographical significance:
  • His life is detailed on pages 621–622 of “Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (Volume 3),” published in 1914 by Century Historical Association
  • Described as a prominent physician, merchant, and financier of Alexandria, Louisiana
  • Born in Rapides Parish, Louisiana
  • Attended schools in Rapides Parish
  • Later attended public schools in New Orleans
  • Studied at the University of Louisiana, now Tulane
  • Earned his M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Began his professional career in Maryville, Louisiana
  • Later moved to Bunkie, Louisiana
  • Built a large and valuable medical clientele
  • After about 12 years of active and successful practice, left medicine to focus on expanding industrial and financial interests
  • Served as president of multiple Louisiana business institutions, including:
    • Commercial Bank & Trust Co. in Alexandria
    • Merchants & Planters’ Bank in Bunkie
    • Wholesale Grocery Co. in Bunkie and Alexandria
    • Alexandria Compress & Warehouse Co.
    • Climax Lumber Co. in St. Landry
  • Held extensive cotton investments in Bunkie and Alexandria
  • Known for continued attention to public affairs and civic obligations
  • Member of the Knight Templar
  • 32nd Degree Mason
  • Shriner
• Published provenance:
  • This exact revolver is featured on page 172 of “Fine & Historic Arms Annual”
  • The publication was sponsored by the Texas Gun Collectors Association and Rock Island Auction Company
  • Noted as being from the Nick Shannon collection
  • Further provenance from the Jonathan M. Peck collection
• Barrel and sight details:
  • 7 1/2-inch barrel
  • Blade front sight
  • One-line Colt Hartford address on top of the barrel
  • “38 W.C.F.” caliber marking on the left side of the barrel
• Frame and factory markings:
  • Left side of the frame has two-line patent date markings
  • Rampant Colt trademark follows the patent markings
  • Left side of the trigger guard has the triangular “VP” proof mark
  • Left side of the trigger guard also marked with a “3”
• Numbering and assembly details:
  • Matching number “3228” on the rear face of the cylinder
  • Assembly number “135” on the loading gate
• Grip details:
  • Pearl grips
  • Silver Colt medallions
  • Factory relief-carved steer head on the right grip
• A standout opportunity for the serious Colt collector, combining William Gough factory engraving, full gold finish, documented shipment, presentation inscription to a historically notable Louisiana figure, carved pearl grips, published provenance, and extraordinary rarity within the already elite category of factory-embellished First Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers.