Thank you Masterpiece, I really appreciate it. This is exactly the kind of input I was looking for. I figured someone here would have shared my curiosity about these things, and would be able to shed some light on the matter.
A couple other slightly interesting things about this gun. It's pretty plain to see the presentation etching on the frame, and it's also pretty obvious that it is not of a quality you'd expect from the factory. Still, is it interesting to speculate about who "Frank" and "Ed" were? We'll probably never know, but still...
The other thing I like about this is the destination the gun was shipped to. Some here probably know it, but for those who don't, Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett and Company was a large hardware retailer in Chicago. in addition to dealing in firearms, they also had a line of knives they sold under their name that is of some interest to knife collectors these days. They are also known for the line of hardware they established under the name "True Value". Then in 1962, the True Value brand and hardware business were sold to Cotter & Co, another Chicago hardware chain that sold firearms, frequently under their own brand. I mention this because, also in my safe at this time, is a Marlin .30-30 with brass saddle ring sold by Cotter & Co as their Westpoint Model 33
And then another pic...
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