Alvin White Engraved Colt SAA - .357 Magnum Style

[RKmesa]

I picked this beauty up a few years ago and it is just too nice not to share...

It has some of the most beautiful AAW carved ivory grips...

... and some wonderful gold inlays...

... I love the work on the back strap and the bolsters...

... and on the top of the barrel..

... and everywhere else...

... five different gold inlaid scenes, tons of gold inlaid scrolling, beautiful engraving and some of the finest carved ivory I have ever seen. Does it get much better???

Thanks for letting me share,

 

[Bullseye 2620]

Richard,

The entire revolver is astoundingly beautiful, but the carved ivory stocks are even more than that. I don't have an adequate superlative to describe them.

Of course, I love the Native American motifs throughout the design, but I am curious as to the symbolism of the "dollar sign" on the bottom of the trigger guard. Can you share any thoughts as to its meaning?

 

[75Vette]

That's beyond amazing. The more you look the more you find. I noticed the dollar sign too. Probably just means "BIG MONEY"!!

 

[Rpg]

Truely a work of art!

How does it shoot?

 

[lawandorder]

Spectacular ! Thank you for sharing.

 

[keith44spl]

Now Boys,

That is Grand !!!


.

 

[sw282]

Alvin White's work is always simply ''STUNNING''.. A master engraver,

he did things other than firearms too... He also worked the Balfour Company...

They were best known to this old man as a maker of Class graduation rings..

The lndian on the Colt Model P bears a strong resemblance to my class of 65 HS ring..

ln his latter years Mr White did Commemorate medals and plates also..

His work is of the finest artistry regardless of the subject..


More Alvin White


lt seems Alvin liked carving on Smith 44s too. Some of his work linked above

 

[boykinlp]

Richard,
That has to be one of the best guns you have shown. It definitely has all of the items checked that anybody would want in an engraved gun. The detail in the engraving is spectacular! The complete coverage is amazing. I think the only thing he did not engrave was the face of the trigger. The gold inlays are superb. I don't think I have ever seen nicer engraved ivory stocks. Thanks for sharing.
Larry

 

[bamabiker]

but I am curious as to the symbolism of the "dollar sign" on the bottom of the trigger guard. Can you share any thoughts as to its meaning?

Might be a stretch but I also see dp in it.
Beautiful Colt!

 

[RKmesa]

...I am curious as to the symbolism of the "dollar sign" on the bottom of the trigger guard. Can you share any thoughts as to its meaning?

I am not sure what the slanted $ means on the trigger guard. I always thought it might be a cattle brand- the "slash S" brand or something to that effect. Any ideas that you all have would be much appreciated...

 

[2152hq]

Beautiful revolver. Love the keyed escutcheon in the grips. A small point I know, but's time intensive stuff like that that catches my eye.

Was the conversion to 357 done by relining a 45cal bbl?. The hand cut caliber marking on the gold bar looks like it may just miss covering the '4' in the old caliber mark.
I think the orig gun was mfg in the 19-teens.

I'd guess a 'cattle brand' for the $ sign figure,,but that's just my first impression. A customer probably ordered up the commission and specified at least some of the details if not all of them. Seems like a very special layout.
One talented guy Mr White was, that's for sure. I was lucky to have met him on one occasion through another engraver & mutual friend of AAW This back when I was barely starting out.
Congrats on a fine revolver.

 

[RKmesa]

...but the carved ivory stocks are even more than that. I don't have an adequate superlative to describe them.

The color of the ivory and the attention to all the small details makes the stocks some of the finest I have ever seen. Mr. White was proud enough of them to put his name on them...

 

[Qc Pistolero]

Superb piece of art!Just thinking about what it is worth made my phone ring;my bank manager tells me to forget it!!!

 

[crsides]

tacky Richard, just plain tacky. I sent you my address.

Charlie

 

[Peak53]

Richard - as I may have mentioned, your willingness to share your treasures is a treasure. Thank you!

 

[RKmesa]

...Was the conversion to 357 done by relining a 45cal bbl?. The hand cut caliber marking on the gold bar looks like it may just miss covering the '4' in the old caliber mark. I think the orig gun was mfg in the 19-teens...

As you noted, the revolver dates originally to 1917 (per the Colt dating site). Obviously too early for a .357 Magnum caliber, as that did not hit the scene until 1935. The barrel shows no sign of being re-lined. And although I agree with you that it kind of looks like the gold "plate" was used to cover some roll mark, I think if you look closely that the engraving on either end of the plate is actually an extension of the pattern, the edge of a "leaf" on the vine. It has puzzled me ever since I purchased the gun as to why the 357 plate was added.

This is the story that I received from the seller, via a December 2004 email from Andrew Bourbon (a noted engraver himself) who used to work for Alvin White... "In Alvin's FFL record book it shows April 21, 1954 #335822 Jay Altmayer." The email then goes on to say "I left the pictures of the gun with Alvin's daughter. He [Alvin] had eye surgery today, so when he recovers from that, she will show them to him."

The email was in response to an inquiry from a previous owner who had apparently sent photos of the gun to Mr Bourbon and asked him to show the photos to Alvin for his comments...

With all of that said, I would surmise that the barrel and cylinder where changed to .357 at the time the gun was engraved... but we will probably never know the complete story...

 

[ditrina]

< SIGH>... You Win

 

[2152hq]

The bbl is a pre-war bbl (IMO). That's from looking at the top bbl address,,it has the so-called 'broken 'O' in Hartford.
It's a quite common characteristic collectors look for to try and date and match up parts with the revolver to see if things are correct.

The left side marking Colt S/A Army started around 1929.
The 'broken O' die marking starts to show up in the 20's
38 Special caliber marked bbls/guns are in this range.

Maybe the gun was converted using pre-war 38Special bbl and cyl then the chambers lengthened to 357.
The caliber marking would then be changed in some manner.

Pre-War parts weren't all that uncommon in the 50's and early 60's, and might be what you got if you ordered a cylinder and bbl from the factory at that time.
Production of the 2nd Gen guns didn't start till '56 I think and the 38sp was gone by '64. The factory wouldn't convert 1st gen guns to 357 but I'm sure some were done. 2nd gen 357 came out in '60.

The original Pre/War guns chambered in 38Sp are rare, but I'm sure extra parts were made and sold.
They certainly had a ton of spare 2nd generation bbls and cylinders to sell.

Like Ditrina says....You Win!!!

 

[STCM(SW)]

"Like Ditrina says....You Win!!! "

DITTO'S!

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

Top shelf on any table.