Manufactured in 1929 and lavishly embellished by Master Engraver Carl Bleile in 1980 reportedly as a tribute to Western movie actor Tom Mix. The engraving is based on patterns designed by renowned Colt Master Engraver Rudolph Kornbrath (1877-1946). These patterns are found on a pair of Government Model pistols Kornbrath engraved for a Texas rancher and oil man. One of the pistols is featured on the cover of Kornbrath's own brochure, and both pistols are pictured in R.L. Wilson's "The Colt Engraving Book, Volume Two" on pages 538-539. Wilson notes that the Government Model pistols were "the best known of all work by Kornbrath and the artist's favorite of all his masterpieces." This SAA certainly pays tribute to Kornbrath’s Government Model masterpieces as well as to the Texas rancher who inspired the western themes. The well-executed, near full coverage engraving consists of beautiful floral scrollwork on a punch dot background accented with silver line inlays towards the muzzle. There are several Western themed gold inlays: a cowboy on horseback on the recoil shield, horse head on top of the back strap, diamond in the middle of the back strap, buffalo skull below the hammer screw on the right side of the frame, and cowboy on horseback roping a steer, cowboy holding a SAA, and man following his mule pulled Conestoga wagon on the barrel. The rope in the lasso scene is a silver inlay, and the rope on the recoil shield is also inlaid in silver. Double gold inlaid bands are featured on the rear of the cylinder. The left side of the frame has Tim Mix's initials in gold. The ejector rod housing is signed "Colt Frontier Six Shooter/44-40." Blue finish overall and small parts plated in gold including the front sight and hammer. Fitted with pearl grips featuring Mix's initials carved on the left panel. The left side of the grip frame is signed "Designed by R.J. Kornbrath 1932" and "Eng. By C.B.Bleile 1980." Comes with a walnut case lined in red satin and featuring a "TOM MIX" gold embossed ribbon on the inside of the padded lid.