Engraved Model 1 info needed

Breadman1 · #1 09-03-2020, 08:44 AM

A friend of mine who works in a gun shop came across this engraved model 1 the other day and I’m considering buying it, we just don’t know the value.

If anyone can take a look and critique it and give an opinion on value it would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

BMur · #2 09-03-2020, 10:29 AM

Wow!
That’s a beauty. The engraving in my opinion is period done, the Pearl stocks are rare, looks like gold wash on the hammer? Screw is missing at barrel pivot( not a big deal) but I would carefully install one to avoid damage from separation and dropping, impact damage.
The barrel address is sharp. This is a model 1 second issue in what looks like a 70,xxx serial number range. So post Civil War. You would need a factory letter to see if it’s existing condition is factory original or performed by a Major Distributor. If it letters as original? It’s worth $2000 or perhaps more in my opinion at auction! However, my gut tells me it’s probably a Distributor engraving due to the cylinder engraving removing the patent stamp.

Even if it doesn’t letter? It’s close to that at auction. I just watched a recent auction where model 1’s sold for over $1300 in near excellent but not engraved condition so there still is a lot of collectors interested in these. Who knows what it would go for if it letters? A lot!!!

Thanks for sharing. Can you post close up photos??

Murph

first-model · #3 09-03-2020, 10:48 AM

As Murph said, it's a Model 1, 2nd Issue. From my serial number database I'd guess that it shipped in July of 1865, give or take a month or two.

The barrel hinge screw is missing. To make the gun correct an original would need to be found. Note that the thread for this screw is not standard, so one would need to be careful to make sure that it's a correct Smith & Wesson Model 1 screw, and not something generic. Damaging the threads would really hurt the value.

It's a bit hard to tell from the photos, but at first glance the engraving looks pretty good. To really assess the engraving I'd either need to hold the gun in my hands (and put it under my stereoscope), or have some really high resolution photos to assess the quality of the work. The difference between, say, Nimschke and some of his "admirers" can be very subtle.

Without a factory letter, it's safe to assume that the engraving and the grips were commissioned by the distributor (Joseph W. Storrs).

I disagree with Murph on the value. $2,000 would be very optimistic even if it lettered as a factory engraved piece; in my opinion it'd need some really good provenance to reach that price. If it's a regular garden-variety gun that went to Storrs (and was engraved after), then I'd put the value closer to $600, especially with the missing hinge spring. They're not impossible to track down, but it may take a bit of time.

I assume you're buying this gun speculatively, which means you'll want to err on the side of caution and then be delightfully surprised if you end up with some sort of hidden gem.

And all of that said, all of the usual Model 1 buying caveats would still apply. The assembly marks on the barrel, cylinder and frame will need to match (I suspect they will, but it's worth checking). The split spring under the cylinder catch should be intact and functioning, and the cylinder should rotate when the hammer is cocked. Etcetera.

Mike