Black Beauty: Nimschke’s Masterpiece Sold By Rock Island Auction

by
posted on September 3, 2025
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Colt Single Action Army revolver
Photos courtesy of Rock Island Auction.

German-born Louis Daniel Nimschke is widely recognized as one of the most talented and prolific firearm engravers of the 19th century. Throughout his career, Nimschke turned firearms into functional works of art, personally engraving hundreds of guns and overseeing the embellishment of thousands more.

In 1888, at the height of his career, Nimschke received a commission to engrave a Colt Single Action Army revolver for Mexican President Jose Manuel del Refugio Gonzales Flores. The resulting firearm, known simply as “Black Beauty,” is widely considered one of Nimschke’s greatest works and serves as a remarkable display of his skill and artistry as a firearm engraver.

The revolver is chambered in .44-40 Win. and outfitted with the 7.5" barrel typical of the era’s Single Action Army model. Interlaced scroll engraving extends from the muzzle down the barrel, along the outside of the ejector-rod housing and covers nearly the entire frame, as well as the trigger guard and backstrap. The head of an eagle appears among the scrollwork on the left side of the gun’s recoil shield. Gold bands, borders and inlaid gold scrolls highlight the exquisite finish, and Black Beauty is one of only a few Nimschke-engraved guns to feature such extensive gold inlay.

Black Beauty sold at Rock Island Auction Co. on May 2, 2025, for a hammer price of $1.6 million—the second-highest amount ever paid for a Colt Single Action Army revolver. To find out more, visit rockislandauction.com

Latest

Walther Arms Pd380 Rifleman Review 1
Walther Arms Pd380 Rifleman Review 1

Rifleman Review: Walther Arms PD380

For its latest compact carry pistol, the PD380, Walther Arms combined elements of its Performance Duty Pistol series with its legacy PK380 platform.

Springfield Updates Saint Victor AR-15 Lineup

Since 2019, Springfield Armory has offered its Saint Victor line of AR-15s with enhanced features, and for 2025, the company has updated those features to keep pace with consumer demands.

In Memoriam: Wiley Clapp

Longtime American Rifleman Field Editor and contributor Wiley Clapp passed away June 4, 2025. He was 90 years old.

Fiocchi Of America Joins The Kinetic Group, HEVI-Shot Moving Operations

The Kinetic Group has officially added Fiocchi of America—and exclusive rights to Baschieri & Pellagri in the United States—to its lineup of top ammunition brands.

Inside NRA’s New America’s Rifle Challenge

NRA has developed a new competition designed to promote better marksmanship with America’s rifle—the AR-15 platform.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 1, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.