"Anyone have any idea HOW MANY of these Jovino guns were produced ?"

I bought my 3 incher (s/n AEV65xx) in October, 1984. My dealer ordered it from the distributor for me when I told him about it. You are correct, it was John Jovino, Inc.

My notes, made at the time, say that there were 5,000 of each made. I doubt that, as while 3 inchers turn up for sale sometimes, the square butt 2 inchers just about never do.

I am now guessing that the 5,000 figure was speculation by gun magazine writers then, as that was the figure generally batted around at the time when special, limited runs of "different" non-cataloged S&W's were discussed.