[dashoop]

Hello - first timer here-
Does anyone know when Colt started using medallions on the grips? some pictures in this discussion show some without/some with?

Also, I would like some help re: grip medallions. (I searched google for hours & even called historical at Colt- no luck.) Not necessarily what gun these would have been used on, but moreso what year/s for this Colt design - 1908 is the closest to the design I've found, but those were gold tone

I found a coffee can with some grip medallions, some are 2 pieces that snap together & 140 of what I'll call the cap to them. Also found some screws with 2 escutcheons (via google) and some screws with 1 escutcheons, but I have 100 individual escutcheons.
At first, I thought it looks like the screw with escutcheons hold the grips to the gun & the medallions pop over the top of the escutcheons to hide the screw, but in looking on here at some pictures, the screw/escutcheon just holds the grips onto the gun frame & the escutcheons are inset on the grip to be hidden, & that these 2 piece grip medallions - the bottom part is inset & the back post is opened up to be snug with the grip & then the top part of the button snaps over the top to be level with the grip.

Also material - are these Nickle (brass escutcheons) They look reddish due to the tumbling media grandpa had.
Any help appreciated.

also found 2 of the silver colt medallions that are different design than the others.
I'll attach some pictures

 

[824tsv]

Welcome to the Forum,
I can't offer any information to help you, but what a great collection there!

 

[1960_Current]

When I read this it reminded me of an article I read many years ago about people who collected the cloth "LEVI" tags off of blue jeans. That's a pretty impressive collection. Keep in mind that all colt medallions are gold colored once the plating wears off and the brass starts showing through. If these were in a media tumbler that would explain it.

 

[thecoltguy]

Great collection and thanks for sharing. I could use a couple of the silver medallions to restore a pair of grips should you decide to sell any.

 

[22_Matt]

The medallions that look like a cap are made that way. They did not snap on to anything. They fit into a circular grove in that had 2 holes in the outer edge, from the back, used to peen the outside rim of the medallion on each side to hold them in place. There is also a 3rd hole in the center that was a locating pilot hole for the drilling of the grove for the medallion. Thats why the back side of Colt stocks that use that medallion have 3 holes on the back of them. That medallion is used from 1924 though WWII. Post WWII medallions have are solid with a single center stud. They are at first the same design as the pre-war, then the position of the horse changes and the design is used for the rest of medallion production. Those are both silver or gold colored, with gold being only on Pythons until the mid 70's when everything changed to gold. There is also a first style medallion. These are referred to as the "Deep Dish" style, because the design is recessed and the colt faces forward on both sides. They were made of brass which was silver plated and had a single mounting stud, like the late type. The were made from 1912 until app. 1924.
First design 1912-1924

Second type 1924-early 1940's

Post war first type.

Last type.

 

[dashoop]

I will look closer- I didn't see any gold plating on them either front or back side.

 

[dashoop]

Thank you everyone for the information! Greatly appreciated! Just want to have as much info as I can first before considering selling.

 

[Hopalong]

I'd be interested in a couple of the screw/escutcheon sets, if you sell. Thanks!

 

[jrm]

I can recall Doris Day in the movie " Calamity Jane " and am certain she had a medallion set in her SAA grips. A little out of the time period of the movie !
Jim

 

[saintclair]

It is always interesting to notice where the Rampant Colt's ear point on these medallions.

 

[Olle]

It is always interesting to notice where the Rampant Colt's ear point on these medallions.

And it would also be interesting if those with deeper knowledge could post a thread with pictures of all the variations.

 

[73shovel]

I do know that Colt started using medallions on it's special order (walnut, ivory, and mother of pearl) hammerless and hammer automatic stocks in 1911. Of course standard factory stocks during this period were hard rubber. These earliest medallions were recessed dish forward facing and were mounted by means of a slim center post. In mid-1924 the transition was made to forward facing flush medallions. After a few months, only the left facing flush medallions were used. The pre-war flush medallions were mounted with the 3-hole crimp system. After the war there was a succession of various styles, all left facing and all with center mounting posts.

The medallions in the original poster's first photo are puzzling. They appear to be pre-war flush medallions pushed over a later post mounted medallion. You can see the crimps in the edges of some from previous 3-hole crimp mounting. Also the colt's ear aligns with the "L" in Colt like the pre-war flush medallions and the earliest post war medallions. With later medallions the ear aligns between the "C' and"O".

 

[ei8ht]

Right Facing Deep Dish 1916