Michel, I have to follow Mike's comments with a "me too!" The Standard Catalog of S&W, 4th Edition, says Excellent condition - $2700 and Fine Condition - $1800. But, I believe your package would exceed those estimates. Congratulations!
Strange that Claudin put his name upside down on the barrel. Also, sometime in the past the case insert has been removed and replaced upside down. Having said all that, this is not a Smith & Wesson, but a copy by Claudin. Common in Europe in the late 1800s. Ed.
Copies of S&Ws, made in Europe by quality makers and dealers, such as this one, were often very good. Almost exact in dimensions. In my opinion, this is a copy. It says so, right on the barrel. "Brevete" means 'copy, or licensed " ( S&W did not license any European gunmakers to produce Model 2 Armies.) You will see genuine S&Ws cased and retailed by European dealers, but they are not marked as "Brevetes" Claudin sold genuine S&Ws but if this is one of them, why mark it as a copy? Some tests can include the wood used for the stocks. Rosewood? Number of lands & grooves. Thread pitch of the hinge, extractor & stock screws, dimensions of lettering on barrel & cylinder. Ed.
Ed, I have closely compared the images with a 5" of mine and the OP's gun sure looks close. Enlarging the barrel stamping, it is identical to the standard S&W barrel stamping and is in the right place on the rib for a 5" gun. The stocks look a little too brown for rosewood.
Here is what I see as different than my Model 2s:
- The screw escutcheons are different than originals (originals are not dished)
- The hammer has a heavier spur and has a wider top than sides (originals are flat-sided)
- There is a detail around the hinge area that does not show up on originals (flat metal on originals)
- There is no evidence of the patent line around the cylinder visible (should be visible in a next-to-new gun)
- The ejector rod is shorter than originals (should be 1 3/4" from tip to center of retaining screw)
Other than that, it was built to exact dimensions and configurations of originals. Could you see if there is a serial number stamped on the butt and inside the right stock. Also, is there an assembly number or letter(s) on the inside of the left butt frame under the stock? It should match the front of the cylinder and the rear of the barrel frame in front of the cylinder. Please report what numbers you find.
Thanks for the additional photos. I did see one other difference and that is the pivot screw is either an incorrect replacement or the choice of a forger gunsmith. It is a very tough gun to be certain one way or the other.
My opinion is that if the gun has the above mentioned assembly letter/numbers and if the right stock is stamped with the serial number, it is most likely an original S&W Model 2 with added stampings of a dealer or distributor.
Lastly, the word Brevete, to me, simply means patented.
It was usual on the 19' Century to write "breveté par" for the importated guns. I have others SW, Colt and Webleys with the same marks.
I know that luxus dealer in Europe made modification of foreign best products after import: other finish, other grips and sometimes on demand acessories like stocks.
I'am not at home now and I can't compare with my other old model
I vote: Original. Late production revolvers (approximately serial number 60K from observation) appear to have a heavier spur (but not flanged) which may be a byproduct from the change in knurling of the hammer spur. The escutcheons on the stock were dished not flat as were the earlier No. 2's. I see nothing to indicate anything but a very nice original #2 Army. OP, have you checked with the Ron Curtis Number Two Project?
Another tid bit of note is that the display case is also marked with the word brevete under the name. If you GOOGLE the word "brevete" there are several different uses given depending on whether the word is used as a noun or an adjective etc. As an adjective is means "patent protected" so perhaps the store owner was merely trying to explain that S&W's were covered by patents??????
My new SW n°2 cased
Linear Mode
