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04-01-2018, 08:47 PM
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Engraved Silver Plated 1st Model 38 S&W Double Action with pearl presintation grips
Saw this at a local gun shop and had to buy it. Please take a look at the rest of the pictures on the below link.
Engraved]Engraved 1st model 38 S&W Double Action - CrotchetyOldGrouch 1st model 38 S&W Double Action - CrotchetyOldGrouch
The gun has blued hammer, trigger, trigger guard, latch, extractor star and front sight. The rest of the gun is silver plated. The grips are pearl and in exhalent shape, they show a presentation date of July 24 1880. The serial number on the butt and cylinder face match and the gun functions perfectly and appears to have been shot very little. The only problem I've found is that the tip of the hammer spur is broken off. Because on the manufacture date was probable close to the presentation date and the silver plating doesn't fill the factory stampings I'm wondering if it might be a factory gun.
I would appreciate hearing anyone's thoughts on this gun and it's value. Thanks
Last edited by rickga; 05-20-2018 at 08:09 PM.
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-db-, Collects, glowe, gunnails, Jimmyjones, jmace57, JSR III, Jtown, kld555, les.b, ol777gunnerz, pmanton, S&WsRsweet, shouldazagged, Wiregrassguy, wolffgun, xray97 |
04-01-2018, 08:50 PM
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Very nice. Welcome to the forum! Experts should be here shortly.
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04-01-2018, 10:31 PM
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Can you tell the middle initial in the dedication? L? H?
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04-01-2018, 10:47 PM
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Not sure, could even be a G. Hard to tell with that script.
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04-01-2018, 11:49 PM
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Engraved 1st Model 38 Double Action, not something you see every often. A Factory letter should be your next purchase.
B. Mower
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04-01-2018, 11:55 PM
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Nice .38, 1st Model, Double Action. The presentation inscription on the Pearls is not often seen. Most had the revolver back strap or side plate engraved. In the FWIW category; this is only the second .38, DA, 1st that I have seen engraved.
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Mike Maher #283
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04-02-2018, 07:47 AM
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Welcome! Here is the form for the letter of authenticity request:
http://www.swhistoricalfoundation.co...quest_form.pdf
It may letter as a factory engraved/inscribed gun but may also have been done privately after sale.
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Alan
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04-02-2018, 08:10 AM
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Wow rickga you sure know how to enter a forum . Nice gun very nice.
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04-02-2018, 02:15 PM
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I'm thinking that one deserves a letter.
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H Richard
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04-02-2018, 04:23 PM
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Yes, rickga, you made one heck of an entrance with that remarkable gun.
Welcome, and I hope you'll stick with us.
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Oh well, what the hell.
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04-03-2018, 03:10 PM
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Just mailed off the request for a factory letter. Now I will wait patiently for it. I will post the info here when I get it.
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04-03-2018, 03:47 PM
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You would think they could have done something to dress it up a little ... absolutely stunning. It is very heavily engraved but so tastefully done it doesn’t appear to be overdone at all. What a find.I really like the backstrap, it’s so elegant and finely done. It would be nice to find out about the artist.
Last edited by Minorcan; 04-04-2018 at 11:19 AM.
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04-04-2018, 09:32 AM
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Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! That's simply beautiful!
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Guy
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04-30-2018, 07:28 PM
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Got my factory letter today, (see below). Not a S&W factory job but, from what I've been reading on this forum and elsewhere, may have been a special order that went to S&W and they forwarded it to M.W. Robinson Co. for fulfillment. Anyone know of a source for more information on this arrangement or have an idea of the value of this gun ? Any info would be appreciated.
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04-30-2018, 08:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rickga
Got my factory letter today, (see below). Not a S&W factory job but, from what I've been reading on this forum and elsewhere, may have been a special order that went to S&W and they forwarded it to M.W. Robinson Co. for fulfillment. Anyone know of a source for more information on this arrangement or have an idea of the value of this gun ? Any info would be appreciated.
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In Smith & Wesson's early days, they wholesaled their guns through a single sales agent (1860's terminology for a "distributor") that handled sales to individual stores and such. At first this was J. W. Storrs; that business passed to M. W. Robinson later on.
Sometimes Robinson would commission the engraving on a gun, and sometimes it was the business that Robinson shipped the gun to that would commission the engraving. Either way, it's a step (or two) removed from Smith & Wesson, such that you're probably not going to learn much more about the engraving from that side of things.
I note that the engraved grips have a name on them, and you'll probably get more traction by trying to track down that name. If you post a close-up of the engraved grip, I'll do my best to track down some information for you; this is the sort of research that I live for.
Mike
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04-30-2018, 08:33 PM
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I have been unable to find any info on this man. I hope you have better luck. I'd love to have more info on this little revolver.
p.s. there are many more pictures on my SmugMug page that I link to with my original post. Here is the link again: Engraved 1st model 38 S&W Double Action - CrotchetyOldGrouch
Last edited by rickga; 04-30-2018 at 08:37 PM.
Reason: more info
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04-30-2018, 10:36 PM
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Mine went to M. W. Robinson as well. I'm lousy at reading Old English, but the name I'm reading is: Thomas G. Furrier. And, No, I haven't Googled it.
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04-30-2018, 10:39 PM
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05-01-2018, 01:44 AM
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The name Currier, came to mind as famous lithographers Currier & Ives. Nathaniel Currier founder (according to find-a-grave) Nathaniel is THC's Dad, or so it seem.
See: Currier and Ives - Wikipedia
and: Nathaniel Currier - Wikipedia
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05-01-2018, 06:40 AM
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This is a beautiful firearm congratulations on owning it . I understand it is hard to put a price on something like this but I wish some of the experts ( model3sw) would give an educated guesstimate .
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05-01-2018, 07:44 AM
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Quote:
I'm going with Thomas H Currier. Maybe this guy?
Thomas Henry Currier (1861-1936) - Find A Grave Memorial
Mike
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I would think that the person that this gun was dedicated to in 1880 would not have been born in 1861 (19 yo) but one never knows. Perhaps a present for getting in to medical or law school?????
My take of the middle initial is "G" but who knows.
If only the records of M.W. Robinson were available to search like those of Smith and Wesson. Unfortunately, for those of us that are fascinated by the research of these old firearms, there was apparently no Roy Jinks working there that felt that saving the companies history would be of interest to anyone.
We are so very lucky to have the information that we have regarding our favorite firearm company. All the more reason to support the S&WHF who is funding the digitizing of the old records so that some day all of this old information will be available at the touch of a few computer keys.
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05-01-2018, 09:28 AM
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I used to do Calligraphery and that is definitely an "H" for the middle initial.
My take on the gun: It was shipped as normal and then sent to be engraved and Silver plated (think of normal birthday or Christmas gift). When somebody decided to present it to Mr. Currier, they had the grips "Customized". I would think if they were engraving specifically for presentation, the Name would have been engraved at that time! Or if engraved to be a off the shelf presentation piece they would have left a smooth side plate or back strap for the name.
Ivan
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05-01-2018, 09:28 AM
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Heck, at age 19 many were working and married with child by then in the 1800s. Unfortunately, "Thomas Currier" appears many times in a quick Ancestry.com search. If you use the "H" as a middle initial, there are two results.
Thomas Henry Currier, Birth 4 Feb 1861, Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts, Death 6 Feb 1936, Beverly, Essex County, Massachusetts
Thomas H Currier, Birth 5 Seeptember 1821, Canterbury, Merrimack, New Hampshire, Death 11 June 1892, Concord, Merrimack, New Hampshire
To maybe simplify the answers above, the factory did not request or do the engraving, but rather filled an order from Robinson for 40 plain revolvers. Once Robinson received the revolver, they used their own engravers to do the work, not returning the gun to the factory. They also purchased and installed pearl stocks from their own suppliers.
My rambling guess at value follows: If a 38 Double Action, 1st Model was engraved and stocked at the factory, it would be a very rare gun worth considerable money, but the rarity makes it hard to predict what it could sell for. An Excellent standard 38 DA 1st is noted in SCSW4 as valued $1000, while a ANIB is valued at $2000. There were 4000 made and one could at least triple (and probably more) that number if factory engraved. I would only guess that non-factory engraving can bring 25% to 50% more if well done. On the other-hand, it not well done, engraving could reduce the value below standard appraisals. One way to look at a non-factory engraved revolver is that it is no longer original factory, so pure collector value is adversely affected. If the engraving is well done, it will still rise above standard collector valuations. Another tough call to actually predict what a buyer might pay for such a gun.
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Gary
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05-20-2018, 08:21 PM
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Found this on Antique Arms Inc. Thought it was interesting so I'm posting a link . The common thread in the factory letters (2 are shown) is that each one implies a link to S&W special orders.
Antique Arms, Inc. - Smith and Wesson Nimschke Engraved Model 1-1/2, 2nd Issue w/ Pearl Grips
Antique Arms, Inc. - Smith & Wesson No. 1 3rd Issue Engaved w/ Factory Letter
Revolver, Smith & Wesson, Model 1 1/2, Second Issue, Engraved, Nickel Finish, Factory Lettered , F953
Last edited by rickga; 05-20-2018 at 08:54 PM.
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