This is an original Colt Single Action Army revolver serial number 173166 manufactured in 1897 from the personal collection of Mariano G. Samaniego, as inscribed on the backstrap. Mariano G. Samaniego was a pioneer Tucson freighter, rancher and legislator who was born in Bapispe, Sonora, Mexico on July 26, 1844. Descendant from a prominent Sonoran family he moved to La Mesilla, New Mexico with his mother Ysabel upon his father Bartolo’s death where he became a naturalized United States citizen under treaty terms of the Gadsden purchase (1853). He served as an interpreter for the Confederates and the Texas Rangers during the U.S. Civil War and later became a freighter in 1864. He had a reputation as a fearless Indian-fighter noting as being attacked by the Apache Indians near Las Cruces, New Mexico in April 1868 and September 1868 having loses of $11,000 of stock, wagons and supplies for which he filed Indian Depredation Claims against the U.S. gov’t in 1891. He moved to Tucson in 1869 and operated a stage line between Tucson and Oro Blanco as well as holding several delivery contacts. His brother Bartolo was killed by Indians in Cedar Springs, Arizona while freighting for Samaniego. Samaniego was a true pioneer of Tucson, Arizona. He owned the land that furnished Tucson’s first water supply and he invested in the Rillito and Santa Cruz Valley Canal & Irrigation Company. He was appointed a regent of the University of Arizona in 1886. He represented Pima County in the 9th, 11th, and 18th Territorial Legislatures (1877, 1881, 1891, 1895) and was the county’s first assessor in 1886, as well as being elected to the Tucson City Council in 1891. Samaniego died on January 23, 1921 a true pinnacle in the development of Tucson, Arizona. This piece is inscribed / engraved on the backstrap, “M.G. SAMANIEGO” and was from his personal collection. The revolver is a Colt Single Action Army Model 1873 chambered in .38 Colt caliber with a 5.5” round barrel marked with a single address line on top, “COLT’S PT. F.A. MANF. CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.” and on the side “38 COLT”. The frame is marked with the correct patent info and the gun has all matching “173166” serial numbers on the frame, trigger guard, and butt. The revolver appears to function and has the original bone stag grips attached *small old repair on the left side). Nice original condition. Comes with a binder on Samaniego’s history. Truly a rare piece of Arizona History. Antique firearm NO FFL.