Sorry, I HAD to check and make sure the S&W research letter on this one had not been posted and I missed it. It's been a month, how long does it usually take ?

This is the "9" on a brit military triplelock got recently.

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Dennis

The letters I requested in mid-February arrived shortly after the first of April. So currently the waiting period is running six-seven weeks. That includes first-class travel both ways, of course.

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David Wilson

This is like a great action movie. I can't wait now either. I just picked up a 32 hand ejector, and that is how I found this thread. Wow very interesting.

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smile a lot it costs nothing…

Nothing yet. I guess it is time to anticipate the daily mail.

Nothing mysterious about that "9" - it is a number stamp that the factory used on some guns at the turn of the century. I had a .32 Safety from 1896 with that curlycue "9" and have a .32 Bicycle Gun from 1901 which has the same number stamp. I tried to take a photo but couldn't get it clear enough - trust me.

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Peter #2091

Well....got the letter from Roy Jinks today! Here's the scoop:
This revolver was the low serial number of ten units prepared for a Navy shipment but sold commercially. It is in original configuaration still and was shipped on 1 August, 1901 to A.B. Myers in Toledo, Ohio.
The letter states "It is a very interesting revolver". I believe the we, here on the forum, concur.

Definately a very interesting S&W!!

Ohio State University Alumni records show an A.B. Myers, College of Engineering, Class of 1900, employed by the U.S. Gypsum Company as a Chemical Engineer at Arden, Wisconsin as of 1923.

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

Fantastic !!! FYI, Greg, I just yesterday picked up 12 more hand guns from the same collection

He was a well heeled graduate if it was him: "The shipment was for 10 units, serial number 16439-16448".
Perhaps he was gearing up for a team to go on a geological survey in the wilderness? Perhaps his father owned a hardware store of the same name?

This gets better all the time. I sent a PM to the original poster offering to pay for the letter, and then noticed you bought the gun. WELL DONE!
Please keep up the research.

I asked the Toledo Historical Society about AB Myers and got this reply:

"I checked the 1901 city directory and found an Albert B. Myers, traveling agent, boarding at 808 Chestnut. I did not see anything suggesting a company by that name."

Too bad that S&W's shipping records didn't record exact addresses, just the city of the recipient. Otherwise you could really nail it down. Still, I'm of the mind you've got the correct A.B. Myers identified. A "traveling agent" (quite likely a salesman or sales representative of some sort) could easily have taken delivery of a shipment of ten revolvers to hawk while on the road.

Here's where it gets even more interesting. The Ohio State University Bulletin lists an Albert B. Myers in the "Alumni and Former Students Register 1878 - 1912" published in November of 1912. So the A.B. Myers I originally identified may in fact well be the very same person you've documented.

The entry reads: "Albert B. Myers, E. M. Apartado 43, El Oro, Estado de Mexico, Mexico. Experimental Engineer, Cyanide Department, El Oro Mining and Railway Co."

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

The February, 1915 isuue of the Ohio State University Monthly published the text of a letter to Professor Frank A. Ray of the School of Mines from Albert B. Myers, identifying him as Class of '00 and at the time (November, 1914) situated in El Oro, Mexico.

In this letter, Myers describes the political turmoil of that period in Mexico, particularly the depredations committed by General Venustiano Carranza Garza's followers after their occupation of Mexico City, including wanton seizures of property (including his own, stored in a house pending shipment, but which eventually he was mostly able to reclaim). In this vein, he most interestingly writes:

"Of course, everyone was supposed to give up all arms, or run the chance of being in case any were found in their houses. I sent my rifles to the British legation and they are still there, but kept my revolvers." (emphasis added)

Myers also mentions knowing (and actually being somehow related by marriage to) Jose Vasconcelos, who had previously represented Carranza in Washington, and was an influential participant in the 1914 Convention. Myers also remarks on a substantial claim he was pressing for the loss of livestock he had suffered on a ranch of his there. The impression I get is that before he became embroiled in the upheavals of that era, he was doing pretty well for himself in Mexico.

All in all, a fascinating bit of correspondence. Now, besides the obvious curiosity represented by the revolver with which this thread began, one can't help but wonder what adventures it may have been through as well....

This referenced letter can be viewed on page 35 (as originally numbered) of the document digitized at: http://scans.library.utoronto.ca/pdf...06coluuoft.pdf

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

I love a good mystery! Why can't I ever stumble into a gun like this?

I thought this might be a good point at which to summarize.

Albert B. Myers graduated from the College of Enginnering of the Ohio State University in 1900. He was trained as a chemical engineer, and his later carreer strongly suggests that his specialty had something to do with mining.

A year after his graduation, though, he was residing in a boarding house in Toledo, Ohio, and working as a "traveling agent" when he received a shipment of ten Smith & Wesson revolvers, including the one with which this thread started.

A decade later, he was in Mexico working as a "experimental engineer" for a minimg company. He evidently had a ranching enterprise going on the side at this time. He was also related by marriage to a significant figure in the Mexican Revolution.

By the time another decade had passed, he was employed by the United States Gypsum Co. in Arden, Wisconsin. This seems hardly a pretigious position or posting, and suggests that whatever property or fortune Myers may have accrued in Mexico was ultimately lost.

That's a fairly sketchy boigraphy, but tantalizing nonetheless. I think the key unknown at this point is how deeply involved Myers may really have been in the Mexican Revolution. He may well have been nothing more than a witness or bystander to these events, but with his background and contacts, it's easy to believe that either American or Mexican authorities (or both) could've seen in him a useful tool to their ends. Myers himself seems astute enough that he must've appreciated his position as one that could be turned to his profit in one way or another.

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

Here is the excerpt from the letter:

Attached Images

	DSC01365.jpg (162.7 KB, 110 views)
	DSC01366.jpg (205.6 KB, 77 views)

I have been able to find out that Mr. Myers graduated specifically with an Engineer of Mines degree, and that he prepared for his four years at Ohio State University at North High School (Class of 1896) which also was in Columbus. This information leads me to believe he was born about 1878.

There is a death certificate for an Albert B. Myers dated August 13, 1930 in Franklin County (where Columbus is located).

I have attached a photograph of Mr. Myers taken from the 1900 Makio (the Ohio State University yearbook).

Attached Images

ABM.jpg (81.8 KB, 54 views)

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

It turns out that the Albert B. Myers that died August 13, 1930 was born in 1846. So not our Ohio State University grad, for sure - but maybe his father? And perhaps the one who received the shipment of 10 revolvers (he would have been 55 at the time). Just when you think you're on to something, the picture gets suddenly murky.

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

So his son went on to serve in the OSS during WW2. They issued him a Colt Hammerless 32, but he prefered his old 38 Navy Model Smith! (Yes, I just made it up, but it would be a logical continuum, dont you think?)

Hello
I happened to see another U.S.N. Stamped revolver at our local gun show this past weekend. The gun appeared to be Unfired & it was Bright blue and had a 4" Barrel. It's back strap was stamped U.S.N.C.S. I have no earthly idea what the stamping meant but the gun was in 99 % condition and it was most deifinatly a Pre-War example as it has the larger Mushroom shaped extractor end. It had a Lanyard ring of case color off set with the guns serial number. It came to our table in it's Gold M&P box grease penciled on the bottom with the guns serial number that matched the gun. The hammer & trigger looked perfect and they had Vivid case coloring. The stock's it had were Checkered service style with Convex top's on them and they were as new looking as the gun. The barrel was stamped on the top with a Last Patent date of 1914. So I ask you M&P fanatic's what this gun was ? Regards, Hammerdown

Offhand, the box sounds of later vintage than the gun. Did you get a serial number or at least a range?

"U.S.N.C.S." is an abbreviation for United States Naval Cargo Ship. Vessels were so designated as early as WWI.

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

Hello Goony
Thank's for the response. I did not get the gun's serial number the man that had it did not want everyone handling it do to it's condition so I only got to see it for a brief moment. The gold box was black grease pencil seiral marked to the gun I have no idea if it was done at the factory or a later date. Regards, Hammerdown

Wanna sell it??

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SW9VE, Tactical 12GA, S&W 22A

Not to bore everyone to tears, but I'd like to share some more information on the historical aspects discussed so far in this thread.

I've been advised that Albert B. Myers Jr. lived with his parents at 1140 Hunter Avenue in Columbus while he attended Ohio State University. His father, Albert B. Myers Sr., moved to Columbus around 1874, and was a baggageman for the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, & St.Louis Railway. Based on fragmentary city directories, he died sometime between 1927 and 1936, that latter year being when Mary D. Myers was recorded as his widow still residing at that same address. This information in in accordance with the 1930 death certificate, and strongly suggests that the Albert B. Myers who resided in Toledo in 1901 and ordered the Navy marked revolver from Smith & Wesson was in fact the son.

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

Both houses have evidently been torn down. I got close to them but the addresses stated are no longer there... the Columbus house here is a few doors away and built 1890.

1173 Hunter Ave Columbus OH - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - MLS #212020728 - Realtor.com®

His house was probably across the street from this one ( above) where there are now factories of some sort.

814 Chestnut St, Toledo, OH 43604 - Zillow

To resurrect this thread a bit... I have enjoyed figuring out all we could about Albert Myer's Navy S&W. I plan to display it at the Charleston Gun Show in Ladson SC on 17 Feb 2013. I have room on the table so will bring it.

Great detective work!!! Fascinating story!

Thanks to the hekp of Roy Jinks we solved the original mystery of why this revolver was marked USN yet had no other evidence of Navy use.
The mystery that came up and still nags me is why Albert ordered TEN such revolvers. Goony did a splendid job learning all we could about Myers yet it appears all we will ever have at this point are some theories concerning adventures in the Mexican Revolution.

I believe I am going to have to take this gun to the range with some mild handloads. Time to make a more personal connection with this bit of history.