The Alberta Province Colt Python.
One for the West...
Among the many legends in the pantheon of Colt’s Custom Shop creations, a series of twelve revolvers stands quietly in a class of its own—an elite suite of Colt Pythons engraved not just in steel, but in national identity. Known as the Canadian Province Special Edition series, these one-of-a-kind masterpieces were created in 1979, each dedicated to a Canadian province or territory. Only twelve were ever made. One of them—engraved in gold with the name “Alberta”—still rests in its original velvet-lined presentation case, its history intact, its purpose clear: a singular tribute to Canada’s rugged western heartland.
The Story Behind the Series
The concept was born from a private commission in 1979, when a Canadian client with ties to Colt’s inner circle requested a custom run: one revolver for each province and territory of Canada. These weren’t catalog offerings or serialized commemoratives. Each was a standalone masterpiece, set aside from regular Python production and transformed by Colt’s Master Engravers into presentation-grade works of art. They were engraved with Class C scroll, inlaid with gold script and provincial outlines, and outfitted with ivory grips, each hand-marked on the inside to match its province.
This was not a commercial release. The total production was twelve revolvers—no duplicates, no extras, no backup units. Just twelve: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, and Yukon. (Nunavut had not yet been established.)
Unlike other commemorative Colt runs that often stretched into the hundreds, this series was private, exclusive, and entirely unique. So obscure was the project that for decades it existed mostly in rumor. Early internet forum posts speculated on runs of “500 made,” but with the publication of Gurney Brown’s Seven Serpents and Colt’s Python: King of the Seven Serpents, the facts emerged clearly. Brown, working alongside Colt historians and using the company’s archive letters, confirmed: twelve revolvers. One per province or territory. No more.
The Alberta Gun – V36779
The Alberta Python, serial number v 3 6 7 7 9, is one of these twelve. According to a Colt factory letter dated February 1, 1980, the revolver was shipped on October 26, 1979, to Interstate Distributing Company in Little Rock, Arkansas. The letter confirms its configuration: a 6-inch barrel, Royal Blue finish, factory engraving, and genuine ivory stocks. Every detail is preserved in full.
This revolver bears all the hallmarks of the Canadian Province series. On the right side of the barrel, “ALBERTA” followed by "Canadian Province Edition" is engraved in gold script. On the cylinder—unfluted by design—the outline of Alberta’s silhouette is given special prominence on the frame.
The engraving is classic Colt Custom Shop: punch-dot backgrounds, flowing scrolls, and relief-carved borders. On the right side of the frame, a gold-inlaid maple leaf completes the provincial tribute. Even the rear sight—the premium Colt Elliasen target sight—is rimmed in gold, a detail confirmed by the factory letter and easy to overlook without close inspection.
No engraver’s signature appears externally, and the grips have been carefully removed to examine the interior. While no initials or marks from a known Colt Master Engraver are present beneath the panels, both grips are hand-inscribed with the word “Alberta”—a consistent and confirming detail found across other known examples in the Canadian Province series.
Ivory-Gripped, Case-Housed, and Complete
The revolver is housed in a Colt Custom Shop presentation case made of polished walnut, French-fitted with deep royal blue velvet. A gold-inlaid maple leaf bearing the name “Alberta” is centered on the lid, and a brass Colt medallion is inlaid in the corner. Inside, the revolver is accompanied by a complete ivory-handled accessories kit, as described in Colt’s official records:
A patch box (likely for spare parts or documents)
An oiler pot
A screwdriver for grip removal
A cleaning rod with matching ivory handle
The grips themselves are ivory and, consistent with the series, are hand-marked on the interior with the word “Alberta.” The revolver remains in mint condition—likely unfired—and today stands more as a historical artifact than a functional sidearm. Its completeness, factory verification, and untouched state elevate its rarity and appeal.
Rarity and Recognition
The Alberta Python is one of only ten of the twelve known to exist in public records. The Ontario and Nova Scotia editions remain undocumented—presumed to be in private hands. The British Columbia revolver, prominently featured on the cover of Colt’s Python - King of the Seven Serpents, sold at auction in 2023 for $31,460 USD. Others in the series have traded privately, though many owners—especially those with personal or geographic ties to a province—have no interest in parting with theirs.
Indeed, while factory-engraved Pythons are valuable in any form, the Canadian Province series stands in its own tier—an unrepeatable twelve-gun commission, backed by Colt documentation, untouched factory presentation, and cultural significance. For Colt collectors, Canadian arms historians, or connoisseurs of fine engraving, these revolvers are crown jewels.
Conclusion
The Alberta Province Colt Python is more than a revolver. It is a six-shot sculpture, a symbol of identity, and a relic from a bespoke era in American gunmaking. With full documentation, factory accoutrements, and unmistakable artistry, it represents the very best of Colt’s Custom Shop output.
As one of twelve, it stands alone—and proudly so.
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