 General
George C. Marshall's Model M .380 Pistol Serial
Number 135631- This spectacular and most important
pistol appeared in a Colt internal newsletter in the 1940s.
The pistol is documented as having a wartime blue finish and
standard checkered walnut grips and as being shipped to
Springfield Armory on November 9, 1944. The shipping
book gives no indication of engraving. The pistol is
factory engraved and gold inlaid, featuring a
facsimile of Gen. Marshall's signature "G.C. Marshall"
on the left side of the slide.
Two recently discovered photos of this gun reveal two
previously unknown facts: 1) This gun was thought to have
been engraved for Marshall by Colt master engraver Wilber
Glahn but was actually engraved by an engraver named
"McGraw"; 2) it was believed that the gun was engraved
at Colt's when it was actually engraved at the Ithaca Gun
Company, Ithaca, NY. The pistol was inscribed on the trigger
guard at the time of engraving:
"Engraved By
Ithaca Gun Co.
Ithaca, N.Y."
Presumably, the left side roll markings have been
relocated to the right side of the pistol. (For another
example of this type of work, see the Model M .32 presented
to 1st LT. A.W.
Norrie listed on the page of Inscribed pistols.)
The only known photo of General George
Marshall's engraved and gold inlaid Colt Model M .380 ACP
pistol.
General George C. Marshall (ca. 1944)
This photo was reproduced in a 1940s Colt
internal newsletter. This image is an enhanced scan made
from that newspaper photo and was enhanced to give the
viewer an idea of how Marshall's gold inlaid signature would
appear.
George Marshall and Staff (ca. 1941) |
