While looking for info on Francis DeGress, of Wexel & Degress, patented pistol grips, I came across photo of an iron framed pistol carried by Francis DeGress, that was manufactured by Lucius W. Pond. These pistols have a connection to S&W.

This revolver is marked on the upper left barrel flat: “Manuf’d for Smith & Wesson Pat’d April 5, 1855”.




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Marking on barrel flat
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.44 Pond pistol in S&W case(?) 7 1/4" barrel
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Pond pistol showing screwdriver that was screwed into bottom grip strap'
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Pond started production of his .32 long RF Single Action Pocket or Belt revolver in 1861 ending 1870.

Pond was sued by Rollin White and S&W in 1862 and lost the lawsuit. After the lawsuit, and after adding the “Manuf’d for Smith & Wesson Pat’d April 5, 1855”. to the left barrel flat, Pond sold the remaining inventory and subsequent production to S&W for $7.80 apiece, covering manufacturing costs, little if any profit. A total of about 4500 revolvers.

S&W in turn sold the revolvers for $12 to $13 depending on barrel length of 4”, 5”, or 6”.

If these revolvers were sold by S&W, do factory records exist for them?

There is an interesting bit of history with Lucius Pond.

“As mentioned before, Lucius Pond had been promptly sued by Rollin White for violating White’s patent with the belt revolver. Pond turned over his stock of remaining belt revolvers to Smith & Wesson, and then began manufacturing the front-load revolver. Like his predecessor Samuel Flagg, Lucius Pond’s fortune started to change in the 1870s. It’s likely that the economic effects of Re- construction, and the subsequent Long Depression that started in 1873 contributed to Pond’s difficulties. Despite serving as a director of the Central National Bank, Pond found himself in dire straits. By 1874, Pond was washing bank checks and re-issuing them to himself for much larger amounts. In one instance, a $500 check was subsequently altered into an $1,100 check. Needless to say, Pond was deeply in debt.
Late in 1875, Pond’s fraud came to light and that October, Pond disappeared completely (Figure 18). He had set out from Worcester for New York City, but he quickly escaped to Hamilton, Ontario, where he found work as a machinist. But he knew that the law would catch up to him in Ontario, so he again set off for San Francisco, where he boarded a boat for faraway Australia. But for the work of Detective Ezra Churchill, Pond would very likely have disappeared down under. Pond was arrested on the boat and returned to Worcester , where he stood trial for his fraud – estimated to have exceeded $100,000. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Pond – always eloquent and loquacious – remained a favorite among his friends and family. His pastor visited him in prison and commented that “I never saw a better man in the world, and I never expect to, till I am in heaven.” Pond’s friends and families petitioned the Governor of Massachusetts twice for his pardon. They were successful the second time, and Governor Long pardoned Lucius Pond in December of 1882, having served only six years of his sentence. Lucius Pond quietly lived in Worcester with his wife until he died in 1889.”

Video of the Lucius Pond revolver

Regards,
bcowern

Well, I started off on this about as dumb as a rock; but now I's done got edumacated! My compliments to the chef!!

Ralph Tremaine

Thought this was going to be a magnet fishing story, but very interesting nonetheless.

I thought it was going to be a story about a gun someone stepped on in a pond, all rusted, etc., and all repaired!

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Come and take it!!

I thought it was going to be this one!

https://youtu.be/a8Uk13z_ZDk?si=Mt_GlaAYOhmqsu9y

I know for a fact that the historical department has very detailed records on the Moores 7 shooter but I’m not sure about the Pond.

Most of the Moores patent infringements were sold and shipped to Storrs in 1863.

Murph

Here is a Lucius W. Pond, I once owned, that was manufactured prior to the infringement lawsuit by Smith & Wesson.
Serial number 1376, 4” octagon barrel, rosewood square butt grips, screwdriver with brass button screws into the bottom of the grip frame. Top of barrel marked, L.W. Pond Worcester Mass. Patd July 10, 1860.
These were a direct infringement on the Rollin White patent under control of Smith & Wesson
Dave

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My 4" and 6" were both post lawsuit and "Made for S&W..." marked. I shot both with factory Remington .32 RF ammo. They were surprisingly accurate and very well made. I still have the 4".

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Mike Maher #283

These Pond revolvers had in fact a much better design than the S&W n° 2, as the barrel hinge was positioned at the rear of the frame, so that the cylinder stayed connected to the barrel when loading cartridges and could not fall out as on the S&W.

Also, by this mean, the chambers always stay aligned with the barrel, which may not be the case with the S&W.

I would say the same about the Moore 7 shooter above mentioned by BMur, which was the first side swinging cylinder revolver (see below).

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I had heard stories related to this in the past, but this put's it all together. Great work!!!!

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244