By Jeffery Richardson
Published by Chartwell Books
142 West 36th Street, 4th Floor
Dept. TGM, New York, NY 10018.
This elongated 280-page hardbound volume is just what the title says, a pictorial presentation of the Gene Autry Museum collection of Colt artifacts – revolvers and related items—often used or portrayed as used, in the American West in the days from its conception to the present.
The revolvers illustrated are shown on the left side, with a textual presentation on the right-hand page. When additional related items are included, such as a holster and shoulder stock for the Buntline Special, they are shown on following pages.
What can the reader of this gem expect to view? The handguns owned and/or used by lawmen, movie actors, exhibition shooters, criminals, presidents– Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Reagan (Reagan, as a cowboy actor, was probably the only one of those named, with any experience with Colt handguns.), experimental models, prototypes, cut-away models, the ONLY Colt manufactured Model 1873 S.A.A. chambered for the .44 Magnum cartridge, and much more. There is no index in this tome. Following the title page the Contents page lists all the illustrations, with the page number on which they appear. Following this is a Preface, Foreword, and a one-page history—The Colt Revolver in the American West. The final pages include a Bibliography, plus a page of miscellaneous information and acknowledgments.
Any person enjoying seeing and learning about early Colt revolvers, and some of the famous owners thereof need this volume on their reference shelf, or coffee table to pick up and peruse at leisure. It is a true gem, and an excellent source of interesting information on Colt handguns.—Larry Sterett
