I have a shipping invoice from S&W to Cabot & Webster on December 15, 1955 for a set of 24 guns sent them especially finished (new stock with special order attention for high gloss (RM-like finish)blueing and "no turn line"....100%guns in various configurations....all ordered by Ray Shapero in Detroit. The models varied considerably, and seems like he wanted a complete set of all guns produced by S&W. The factory agreed to provide the special order finish for $5.00/gun.
It should be noted that all the guns were sold to Robert Petersen at some later time.....I have been fortunate to have acquired 3 of them...and received 2 of the three. The 2 for my collection are .32 Regulation Police in 3" & 4". The 3rd is a Pre-37, flat-latch, chiefs special airweight. All are NIB, and I will likely sell the Pre-37....I bought it since it was on the same invoice and I have the ORIGINAL invoice....my friend owned Cabot & Webster many years ago.
The paperwork on all these guns was sent to the S&W Historical Society through David Carroll.

The reason for this post.....
Listed on the invoice is a "K-32 Combat Masterpiece" "a Pilot Model not in production" with s/n K233692...
has anyone seen this gun????? Rumors??? It may be in the NRA Museum!!!!

Here is one of the guns....

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Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA

I'm ever "taken" by your posts, tj.

I hope someone out there in Smith-land can offer a viable reply.

Slàinte,

Bob

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Your photography is simply incredible.

A suggestion----perhaps already implemented

In the past, while trying to establish the legitimacy of a couple of rather unlikely guns (much more unlikely than this one), I have ordered a letter. Actually, in one case, I simply asked Roy for a ship date.

He could find nothing on either gun in my case---not even "open on the books" (which I would have settled for---gladly).

Ralph Tremaine

In this case, I do not need a letter. I have the original shipping invoices from S&W, so I do not need Roy to check the records.
Here is the 3" gun.....

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Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA

Terry

Not sure what the wording on the invoice, regarding a .32 Combat Masterpiece not in
production, actually means. I assume it refers to a 4-inch .32 target revolver, in 1955.

I own two of these 4-inch target .32 revolvers. One is s/n K68XXX, shipped in 1949. The other is K366XXX shipped in 1954. The letter notes that no model number was ever assigned to a K32 Combat Masterpiece.

The fact that K366XXX did exist a full year before the date of the invoice, and other
4-inch target .32 revolvers that are known, suggests that K233692 (listed on the invoice) could not have been a pilot model. This looks like an error on the invoice.

It does happen.

Regards, Mike Priwer

Never say never.

I would love to see the actual text of the invoice. Interpreting plain English is usually quite simple... what it says is what it means. A .32 "Combat Masterpiece" is not out of the realm of possibility. As the statement is in print, I would lean toward the side of the shipping paperwork and not assume that someone made an error typing it up.

Reverse logic, and Special Orders, can bite ya where the sun don't shine.

Guys, I will scan the invoice tomorrow and post it.

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Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA

Terry:

Besides the two 4" K32's that Mike referenced, I am aware of one more, that I recall also being in the K68XXX SN range.

Great photos - as usual!

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I had owned SN 67160 for awhile. It was shipped to B.W. Folsom in Warren OH on March 4, 1949. In Roy's letter he called the revolver K.32 Masterpiece Pre-Model 16 Five screw variation. The special order was for 10 revolvers with 4" barrels and the factory charged $6.00 for cutting the barrels and fitting them.

Stu

I have 2 documents from the original order for Ray Shapero....
One from the distributor documenting what Shapero wanted, and another showing shipping invoice....there are other letters describing Shapero's elation at the quality of the guns he had received...many of these special order like 4" .44s that were not in production, the 4" K-32 etc.

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Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA

TA DA!!!

The descriptions are quite precise. On pg. 2, it has been made clear that the .32 in question was indeed produced in a Combat Masterpiece configuration. In fact, it appears that the overstrike of "COMBAT" on that line had corrected an erroneous description of the revolver in question. Someone was paying attention to details.

Thanks for posting the paperwork. I'd say you struck platinum while digging for gold on this one. Many congratulations.

WHOA!! To drop $5500 in a single order for guns in 1955 would have been something very few individuals could have done. This was one SERIOUS collector! Keep in mind that the same $5500 in 1955 dollars would have bought a nice starter home or about 3 average new cars back then. I would have loved to have seen the whole collection in one place at one time... this would have been a very impressive sight at any time or place.

Froggie

Stu

Your 4" 32 s/n K67160 was in the same shipment on 4/4/1949 as the one I have,
s/n K68510. I think my letter also says the shipment was for 10 guns.

Terry, et al

As to the "pilot model" comment, that is coming from Cabot & Webster, and is not on
any factory document - from what I can tell. Clearly several of these guns were shipped at least 6 years earlier.

Regards, Mike Priwer

$5000 in 1955 dollars equates to just a smidgen over $50,000 in 2017 dollars.
That guy was serious!!

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John

I wonder if anyone today would feel compelled to drop 50 grand on a "collection" of new firearms? Other than some military or law enforcement agency arming up, of course.

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Just Say No - To Social Media

Ray Shapero was a very wealthy man who owned a large chain of Drug Stores (Pharmacies) in Detroit in the 1950s. He also had a large collection of Colts. His main concern was "Pristine" condition. The entire collection of Ray Shapero was bought by Robert Petersen, and the engraved guns he had were placed in the NRA Museum. These pristine examples were "leftovers" and sent to auction. When I saw the .32s on GunBroker, I KNEW they were guns from the Petersen Collection, since I recognized the labels affixed to the boxes which I had seen (when I photographed them at the NRA Museum).Finding the invoice was just a fluke when my friend and fellow PACA Member, Joel Gross, told me he had all the letters to S&W, order and shipping records to and from him and Shapero. The numbers matched my two guns that are here and the Pre-37 on its way. I will offer the Pre-37 to Rick Nahas, but if he passes, it will be sold here.

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Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA