Colt Model 1903 Patent Poster

The Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless pistol was originally designed by John Moses Browning in 1899, and hundreds of thousands were manufactured by Colt through the early 1950s. Some models were issued to US Army and US Air Force General Officers through the 1970s. 

The Office of Strategic Services purchased thousands of Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless pistols from Colt during World War II. Most were chambered in .32ACP and were ideal for concealed carry due to their hammerless design and smooth lines. The pistols were shipped to the Fowler Building in Rosslyn, VA and then on to locations all over the world. Famed OSS operative Moe Berg carried a Model 1903 on his mission to assess and potentially execute German atomic physicist Werner Heisenberg in Switzerland in December 1944. Now highly valued by collectors, OSS marked 1903 pistols sell at auction for $4,000 or more.

Now available is the illustration accompanying the original patent application for the Colt 1903 pistol, described here as an "Automatic FIrearm" by inventor John Moses Browning. The patent application was submitted in April 1902, and awarded in December 1903. 

These posters are 11" by 17" and printed on heavy 65-lb paper for a memorable texture and durability.  All printed posters are sourced from a small, local family-owned business. Each poster is shipped in a 12" x 2" cardboard shipping tube.