I recently picked up what I believe to be a factory engraved, 38 Double Action revolver with serial number in the 246xx serial range. It is nickel plated and the hammer and cylinder are gold washed and it has dished top mother of pearl grips. It is identical to the gun I had that lettered as one of the guns that Smith & Wesson displayed at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. That gun I sold at Rock Island Auction. I think I should get a factory letter for it before I put it up for sale

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Gary Grace
S&WCA #1837

That serial number range should be in the 1880's so it should be several years before the 1893 Exposition. Should also be a 2nd model DA. An Exposition gun would likely have been a 3rd model? Do you have a photo?

Murph

Here is a picture of the 38

Attached Images

DSC_0001.jpg (69.8 KB, 115 views)

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Gary Grace
S&WCA #1837

Looks far more like period very typical NY style than factory engraving to me, Gary. None of the exhibition S&Ws that I'm aware of were done like this one.

DC

The simple, broad, 'average'-looking engraving on this 2nd Model .38 DA is far more likely to be the work of a 'New York' contract engraver than a master craftsman such as Young or Nimschke, and is thus highly unlikely to have been put on display as a definitive representative of the finest work that S&W could produce--especially as this model was made perhaps a decade before the 1893 Exposition, between 1880 and 1884.

never the less a very nice piece

Anything is possible with S&W. It appears in an old photo that the Smith & Wesson display in the 1893 Columbian Exposition was very large, with over 100 guns on display. I doubt that Young and his partners would have had the time to embellish that many guns in a relatively short timeframe, so maybe borrowed existing examples from those in the company that had highly engraved revolvers. I try to never second guess what S&W might have done, so the possibility exists that older models might have found their way into the 1893 Exposition. I would definitely obtain that letter.

I am, however in agreement that the engraving does not appear to be factory, which if true means it never was on display in 1893. Below is one 38 DA that was in the Exposition.

Attached Images

	Columbian Exposition.jpg (42.9 KB, 61 views)
	S&W Exposition Booth.jpg (129.8 KB, 62 views)
	38 DA 1893 Chicago Exhibition.jpg (36.5 KB, 62 views)

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Gary
SWCA 2515