I know that the forensic examination of each commercial must be verified by an authority such as yourself or Charlie, on a one by one basis. Knowing that each must be verified, regardless or surmised or grouped serial number (is such exists), is it possible the first 35 could have been the commercial issues ?

By deduction, 35 (appx) 1st models were commercial, leaving the balance of the commercial models (appx 615) as 2nd models ... or so it seems, correct ? Is it likely that all or most of the 35 first model commercials were low serial numbers (e.g. 1 to 35) as far as gifts and promotional issue, of that nature ?

Any indication that the U.S. Govt, perhaps, did not accept ... or cancel ... a bunch in the later or final shipment Serial Numbers (presuming they were shipped, somewhat, as manufactured in numerical sequence) ?

Can it ... more or less ... be ruled out that ANY or ALL of the U.S. surplus-ed Schofields (of the surplus sale of about 1898 to 1900, when they were taken out of service completely) were all US models ? e.g. rule out any 5" as a commercial ? Is that feasible ?

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ANTIQUESMITHS
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