UPDATED 9/16 - "Man Jewelry" - Gold Inlays and Ivory

RKmesa · #1 08-31-2013, 02:20 AM

Lately, you may have noticed a trend in the threads that I have started - namely, they are all about what my wife calls "man jewelry". We on the forum call them engraved or "BBQ" guns. Either way, I have grown fond of nicely engraved S&Ws and I love to see your BBQ/Jewelry/engraved examples, and if you know the artist who did the work, I'd love to know that too.

I picked this up from a forum member this last month. It shipped from the factory in June 1980 as a plain 629. In December 1981, Tom Freyburger (an S&W engraver for about 10 years) completed the engraving for Ray's Police Supply in Missouri. Thanks to help from several members of the forum, I was able to track down Mr. Freyburger (retired now) and chat with him on the phone. He was able to check his records confirming his engraving the gun and for a very modest fee, he is sending me a letter of authenticity. [UPDATED for Engraver's Letter of Authentication - see post 25]

The inlay on the right side is the Dan Smith's famous scene "Last Cartridge" and on the left side is Dan Smith's scene "The Hostiles". The photos speak for themselves (although the gun is much more beautiful in person):

"TWF" (Tom W. Freyburger) initials under the cylinder release:

Thanks for letting me share,

chud333 · #2 08-31-2013, 02:36 AM

Wow Richard !!!
What a wonderfully done job of engraving.
Be proud of that one.
That would be the "Boss" of any BBQ.

Chuck

2hawk · #3 08-31-2013, 03:15 AM

Extraordinary! A true work of art- thank you for sharing it.

1blindref · #4 08-31-2013, 08:30 AM

Now that's the kind of jewelry I like

Beautiful pictures as well!

boykinlp · #5 08-31-2013, 08:45 AM

I am not much of a jewlery person, but I would be proud to wear that on a chain around my neck any day!!

Any idea who made the grips?

Doc44 · #6 08-31-2013, 08:52 AM

One of the prototype Model 629s made in 1978 to test the tooling. This particular revolver was highly polished and engraved and inlaid with gold by S&W's Master Engraver, Wayne D'Angelo in 2001. When the engraving department was going to be discontinued in that year, S&W auctioned the guns in inventory to members of the S&WCA as we had our annual meeting in Springfield that year and visited the plant. Originally shipped with Nill stocks made of figured walnut, I replaced them a few years ago with the same style of stock made of Amboyna burl.

Bill

Nframecollector · #7 08-31-2013, 08:54 AM

Very nice!

fyimo · #8 08-31-2013, 09:54 AM

Those are beautiful revolvers and true works of art and any buddy in their right mind would love to own them and be privileged to be their caretaker.

RKmesa · #9 08-31-2013, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc44

This particular revolver was highly polished and engraved and inlaid with gold by S&W's Master Engraver, Wayne D'Angelo in 2001.

Bill:

What a Beauty! I assume that it has a left side that is also artfully "bejeweled".

I would love to see that side as well. Mr. D'Angelo does beautiful work and that is a stunning example. Did he also do the polishing work?

Thanks for sharing your wonderful collection!

perrazi · #10 08-31-2013, 11:54 AM

pretty guns. rkmesa- I have seen the gun you now own. I knew the owner of ray's police supply and he always had some engraved smiths when I would see him at shows. last I knew, he was working for glock.

Doc44 · #11 08-31-2013, 02:07 PM

Richard...Left side as requested. The case colored hammer and combat trigger were also factory installed (not sure why they did that),

Bill

RKmesa · #12 08-31-2013, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perrazi

pretty guns. rkmesa- I have seen the gun you now own. I knew the owner of ray's police supply and he always had some engraved smiths when I would see him at shows. last I knew, he was working for glock.

Did it have the ivories on it when you initially saw the gun?

Thanks,

Richard

shouldazagged · #13 08-31-2013, 05:12 PM

Jewelry indeed, both guns. Magnificent. Gourmet barbecue.

Doc44 · #14 08-31-2013, 06:00 PM

No inlays, but perhaps one of the best BBQ S&Ws? Engraved by Russ Smith and shipped in 1959.

Bill

hdfinder47 · #15 08-31-2013, 06:31 PM

How do they shoot?

jk. Thanks for the gun porn, guys.

2152hq · #16 08-31-2013, 07:25 PM

Beautiful revolvers.
Does that make the appropriate quality belt and holster to carry it around at the BBQ a Man Purse?

flundertaker · #17 09-01-2013, 12:17 AM

The rhino is awesome and the pinto is stunning. 29-?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 4

Doc44 · #18 09-01-2013, 08:12 AM

The two-tone is a Model 29.

Bill

Sparrowbird · #19 09-01-2013, 09:09 AM

I've had a hankering to get one done up fancy like that for a long time. I don't know how many years ago, (decades?) that John Taffin wrote his article "Life's T Short To Spend With An Ugly Gun" but since reading that I've always said I was going to do it. So far I have not an ain't getting any younger.

RKmesa · #20 09-01-2013, 04:29 PM

When I originally purchased the 629, I was very much wanting to find out who engraved the gun. When I found the initials under the cylinder release, I initially thought that they were the initials "JWF", which happen to be Jeff Flannery's initials. So I shot Jeff an email with some photos to which he responded that he had not engraved the gun and that he does not sign his guns in that manner. In looking at the gun a little closer, the S&W emblem on the left side looked a lot like several of the factory engraved guns that I had seen over the years. I had my wife look at the initials and she said that it looked like "TWF" which took me down the trail that led me to meeting Mr. Freyburger.

Since the photos in this tread (thus far) all are of 44 Mags and since I thought the 629 was engraved by Jeff Flannery, here is another item of "man jewelry" in 44 Mag as engraved/inlaid by Mr. Flannery (I also think that he did the scrimshaw on the Ivory grips):

2152hq: BTW - although engraved guns may be "man jewelry", appropriately carved holsters are NOT "man purses"

[I just cannot go there] - they are just beautiful holsters.

RKmesa · #21 09-01-2013, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc44

No inlays, but perhaps one of the best BBQ S&Ws?

No inlays required to make that gun OUTSTANDING... I too have a pinto 357 engraved by Russ that I need to expose to my camera. Mr. Smith certainly was one of the great engravers.

Cleandean · #22 09-01-2013, 04:38 PM

You fine fellows , who posted pics of all the stunning examples of our passion; much thanks , as these are Fabulous.

RKmesa · #23 09-02-2013, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boykinlp

Any idea who made the grips?

I don't know. But the edge line of the engraving pattern is executed with the curve of the grips in mind, so I believe that they were fitted to the gun prior to it being engraved. BTW - the grips are some of the most comfortable feeling stocks that I own and the ivory is very deep and beautiful.

Watchdog · #24 09-03-2013, 12:00 AM

Some things are just too beautiful for words.

RKmesa · #25 09-17-2013, 12:11 AM

Mr. Freyburger and his wonderful wife were great to get to know over the phone. They were very helpful and Tom maintained great records and I will remember with fondness the twinkle in his voice as he took great pleasure in having his wonderful handiwork appreciated. Here are the letters that he sent me regarding my engraved masterpiece:

What a fun hobby we share!!!