Well, that does pique me curiosity a mite. I'll ease over that away and take a look see. Thanks for the lead.

ETA: Resemblance is quite uncanny. I wonder where Ken snagged those gussied up modified Vs? I'd like to see a pic from the top of the entire rib/sight. They list SN 676787 mine is 670313 for a 6,474 difference. The sequentially numbered, if omission on butt is only disqualifier, helps the vision if not illusion.

Now I'll claim mine as an early KM prototype. Of course I wonder how many others are out there w/perhaps a name on a smooth butt.

A quick peek on Ken turns up this tidbit:

" By 1938 his weight ballooned and his popularity nosedived and his future film work was limited. With so many bridges figuratively burned during his career, his acting career came to an end by the mid-40s. With nowhere else to go, Ken turned to the big top, working for the Cole Brothers-Clyde Beatty Circus, playing off his former film glory. Having blown through a fortune, old age and alcohol did not treat him kindly. Married multiple times, Ken's last wife, Bertha died in 1968 and he found himself living largely off meager Social Security checks. His final years were tainted by his association with a girlfriend who encouraged him to sell phony memorabilia."

"Deteriorating finances forced Maynard to work for circuses as his film career waned after 1936, including an attempt that year at his very own "Wild West Circus", also called the Diamond K Wild West Show, which operated out of his California ranch. He completed at least three stints with the Cole Brothers-Clyde Beatty Circus from 1937-1940, and worked the Arthur Brothers Circus and the Biller Brothers Circus."

"Maynard made his last starring appearance in Harmony Trail (1944), a low-budget film for Walt Maddox Productions. Astor re-released it in 1947 as White Stallion.

By that point in time, Maynard's film career was almost over. He starred in a radio series, Tales from the Diamond K, in 1951, did more circus appearances and lent his name to the comic book Ken Maynard Western, which ran for eight issues. He finished his career with small roles in two low-budget features, Bigfoot (1970) and The Marshal of Windy Hollow (1972). The latter, which co-starred Sunset Carson and Tex Ritter, was never released and is now believed lost."

it's possible that those listed were part of some act parlaying his former western notoriety. Due to advancing age the DA would have allowed firing w/o cocking the hammer. The postwar surplus Victory revolvers would fit within the timeline evah so roughly. Dependent on the accuracy of the mini-biography.

No provenance whatsoever is offered save a name, claimed to be engraved, that appears to be little more than scratched, & poorly at that, in a block style mimicking professional lettering. They couldn't even maintain spacing or a level plane.

Perhaps I'll sand off my butt, paint a few gold coats finishing w/darker and scratch in Maynard G. Krebs. As a touch of beatnik authenticity, on the side of the frame in front of the forcing cone/above the yoke, I'll add a gold set of bongo drums. On the other side two hands snapping fingers.

They should show a pic of just the barrel/sight & rib from the top. Maybe some unknown artisan was modifying Victories w/same raised rib. Obviously mine was wacked at the tip, for some reason, yet I wonder if they matched otherwise.

Thanks again for the heads-up.

__________________
Caveat venditor.