About a month ago, I posted the 2nd installment to my engraved 3.5" Pre27 collection: 3.5" Pre-27 Class A Pinto "BLING" The 1st installment was posted last summer here: 1955 CLASS A ENGRAVED 3.5" Pre-27. This is the last installment and a detailed look at the "Class B" of the three.

Per the factory letter - this beauty was shipped to Rex Firearms (NYC) on September 28, 1955 with a 3.5" barrel, RR front sight, "Class B engraving, target hammer, two tone blue-nickel finish, and smooth rosewood target grips."

I really like the elegance of the "Class B" engraving. I hope you enjoy it as well.

















Here she is with her "Class A" sister:



And another group shot (right side) of all three together:



Thanks for letting me share,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Now THAT is a beautiful handgun. all of them-but especially the one with the diamond insert in the grips-wow!!!

Richard, Very classy! Thanks for sharing.

Chad

And the rear sight is centered perfectly as well! That is one fine looking 5 screw and the others are great as well. Absolutely stunning.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Simply fantastic. Thank you for sharing, I hope to be as lucky in my acquisitions someday!

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

True works of art. Thank you for posting those.

There is nothing second rate about that, absolutely stunning thank you for sharing!

Beautiful gun Richard, I like this gun the best of the three. I guess I am more fond of a little bit less coverage. It looks very tastefully done.
I wonder what the price difference was from A to B coverage.

Nice! Gonna shoot it?

Both are stunning. Thanks for the pictures.

Understated Elegance? Like a Lambo in the local Dollar General Store parking lot.
WOW!

Amazing. Thanks for sharing these pics. Just too cool.

very nice. I may have to branch out my collecting efforts.

Charlie

Richard----

You Did it again...these pics to a 3.5 collector just Hurts...But also gives me something to Strive for...

Great revolvers and im glad you Own em....Spectacular and Just Jaw Dropping.....thanks for sharing and letting us see them...

Do you think i could borrow them for a weekend or 2? or 3?

Perfection! This is my favorite of the three, although I'd love to own any one of them. Even the boxes look perfect. I really like the grips on this one.
I'm going to look at these pictures before I go to bed so maybe I'll have a dream that they are in my safe

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Rick
SWCA #2727 , SWHF #435

You have good taste. I like you.

WOW! Real pretty

Three stunners, Richard, three genuine stunners!

Bill

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"We deal in lead, friend."

Very nice Richard! Three beautiful pieces of pure art work cut into the steel.

Regards

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Mitch
SWCA 2597

What is not to like. Three works of art, of the highest order.

Beautiful! Class B engraving is my favorite - just the right amount.

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Dick

Just awesome! This is obviously an area of collecting where the altitude is high and the air is incredibly thin!

I like it. It's beautiful. But I would hardly call it "understated." It's definitely stated.

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No life story has happy end.

That has to be one of my favorite guns that I have ever seen on the forum!! I love all three, of course, but the insert on the grips puts this one over the top for me. Fantastic!!

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Beautiful guns. What amazes me is that you actually have 3 of them and I'm sure it would be hard to find one for sale. Will these be in Columbus this spring? Larry

Larry:

I agree and feel privileged to have these three in my collection. BTW each of them has not only the box, but the paper work and all of the tools as well. They have quite the pedigree of collectors that have owned them in the past, and each one of them has been a great caretaker of these unique pieces. Tom H is a connoisseur of fine S&W's and I am very grateful that he gave me the chance to bring them home with me - he did request that I keep them together, and I agree wholeheartedly with that request.

As to Columbus, unfortunately I have a family commitment that is a higher life priority, so I will not be attending this year. I once again will have to experience it vicariously through the gracious photos and stories of those members who do attend.

Thanks all for your thoughts and comments.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I've admired those guns since I first saw them over 12 years ago. Y'all can have your reg mags. I'd rather have any one of those. I'm going to have to add a sub-album in Photobucket just for Richard's guns. I use many of them for alternating screensavers.
f.t.

p.s. I recall that the class A was done by Russell Smith. Was the Class B ever verified as having been done by Virginia Le Blanc?

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South Carolina-God's country

Richard,
I think you should get a refund for those guns are all scratched up! Did they tie them to the bumper of a pick up and drag them thru the AZ desert? They are truly beautiful and I have been looking at them for years now and you just can't get enough of them! Thanks for sharing them!
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Tom:

I have several opinions that think that Ms. Le Blanc may have been the Class B Artist. I have compared it to several guns that I have photos of and there is a resemblance in the cleanness of the lines. I have found no definitive marks on the engraving - But I really like it - particularly the engraving on the barrel.

Roy believes that the blue engraved gun is the work of RJ Smith (although I think that the work looks an awful lot like a several Harry Jarvis guns) and I have a letter from Russell Smith claiming the work on the Class A Pinto.

It would be nice if the factory kept a few more detailed records on these works of art...

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I wonder why the did not keep more detailed records, especially on guns like yours, that they had to know owners would want to know who did the fantastic work.

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Prior to Richard (RKmesa), I was the most recent owner of these three very beautifully engraved S&W 357 magnums. I had them for a long time and found great pleasure being their caretaker for all those years. For a variety of reasons I decided that it was time to let them go to another collector but I preferred they go to one who would also cherish them, and hopefully keep them together, since I think those three guns make quite a statement being seen side by side.

I have gotten to know Richard on a personal basis and have gained tremendous respect for him. He’s a class act, a true gentleman, and very easy to deal with. I felt he’d be a good person to own these guns next, and I’d also enjoy being able to see him to add them to his already incredible collection of Smith & Wesson’s, many of which are 357 magnums. Seeing him take such beautiful pictures of them in his posts here on the Forum, and reading his descriptions of them, has reassured me that I made the right choice in choosing him to be the next owner.

The guns are actually here in the geographical area, and only a few miles away from where I live too, so I suppose I could visit them if I wanted to. I will most likely see them again sometime if there is ever any sort of local S&W get together in the area.

Richard, I always enjoy reading your very well done posts, and seeing the wonderful pictures you take of your outstanding collection of Smith & Wesson revolvers. Now I get to see pictures of guns that used to be part of my collection, which makes your posts even more special. Keep it up!

Tom H

Tom:

You have an open invitation to come see any of my collection whenever you want! Thanks again for your allowing me to adopt this collection inside a collection. Every time I pull one of them out of the safe, I recall with fondness the several occasions that we have met and discussed various guns. These three guns are among the crown jewels of my collection and I feel honored to be able to share them (even if only in my humble photos) with the rest of the forum members.

For the rest of you out there, Tom is prime example of why I enjoy the hobby of collecting S&Ws. He is what I would call a "Class A Collector" - he has impeccable taste, is great steward of the guns in his possession, many of which when they leave his collection are better off than when he acquired them (a box here, paperwork there, a clarifying email/letter or two here, etc...), and most importantly, he is willing to help others out with their questions and needs.

BTW: Another thanks to Tom as he is indirectly is responsible for me being a member of the SWCA - he was the sponsor of my sponsor...

All the best!!!

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Richard,

I really like the motif that was done on this gun. Did engravers have names for each kind of motif so you could order one?

Did each engraver stick to one style or motif, or did they do a variety?

I prefer this style as opposed to animals or a gold design.

Those are great questions - In general, I think that this is a classic "scroll and vine" pattern (but I could be mistaken). There are several professional engravers that occasionally frequent this forum. Perhaps one of them will chime in...

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Very nice.

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Jorge

Seeing the wonderful pictures brings back my youth.
I was the Gunsmith for Rex Firearms when they were located at 743 Fifth Ave. In New York City
I was with them after the move to 137 East 57Th St.
Everygun that came in passed through my hands, for examination as to
fit, finish and proper working order.
Great guns that were and are truly works of art.
After the death of the original president of the company it was sold to another group.
I LEFT.
They were not in business too long after the new management arrived.

What years were you there? Were guns like the ones in this post the norm there? How big of a selection did they have?

Thanks,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I was associated with Rex 1955/56.
The engraved, Pinto, and other different guns were an adjunct to the main business of 'jobbers to the trade'.
The S&W factory offerred the special to all the distributors, but Rex tried to get the top ones.
A great part of the business deaalt in "odd-ball"items.
There were many guns which had the cylinders returned to the factory for them to be refinished so the guns could be sold with absolutely NO turn line to be found. ( Had quite a collector base for these).
When "Al" Neustein the presidentg suddenly passed away from a heart attack the other owners of the firm decided that they couldn't operate
in the same mode. I tried to buy in operate but wasn't financially able to meet their terms.
They found someone else, ( didn't stay in business too long) and I left to operate my own Police Equipment, Gunsmithing, Firearms firms.

What at great time to be there - in the heyday of the tastefully pimped out S&W. Like someone said above - it would have been great to stroll through Rex on the day that the S&W package arrived.

Thanks for sharing,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan