Pre-War King Super Police Snub M&P - Oh and It's Engraved!!

RKmesa

RKmesa

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I have always loved the King sighted pre-war guns and I have run down quite a few over the years. But a King Super Police has always eluded me and I have drooled over Caleb's and others posting their Super Police beauties. Finally I was able to run one down and it just happens to be engraved (a double win in my book), with a set of perfect factory gold medallion pearl grips (a triple win...).:D

It shipped on Nov 27, 1933 to A. Balich in San Francisco, CA, which was also the home of King Gun Sight Company and Orville Kuhl, an engraver known for engraving through the blue and working flowers into most of his engravings... My guess is that the gun went to King for their "Super Police Night Sights" and then to Mr. Kuhl for some further customization.

Here's a few photos of a really fun gun. [there are also a few more photos in post 23-24] :)

















... and here is the letter for reference:



I'd love to see your King Super Police modified guns or any 2" pre-war M&P as well.

Thanks for letting me share,
 
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Very nice Richard. When I saw the factory letter I was amazed because my 2" M&P was the earliest shipped 2" and the only one shipped in 1933. Now we have 2 revolvers with 2" barrels that were both shipped to San Francisco on November 27th 1933! Mine remains in original condition and I'm sure both guns were on the same train to S.F. Small world! Bill
 

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bracebeemer said:
I was amazed because my 2" M&P was the earliest shipped 2" and the only one shipped in 1933.
Click to expand...


But....butt...butt... your letter says "two units" ??????
Wouldn't that mean at least two had shipped in 33? :D


Is there any way to find out whose got loaded on the train first? Or would it only matter whose was taken OFF the train first......or would it get down to whose was delivered first......or would it be whose was opened and touched first??


Couldn't resist. Just ribbin ya. I like early stuff also. ;) :D:D
 
Richard,
Fabulous gun.

That does not appear to be through the blue. What are your thoughts on the finish?
The flowers do look like Kuhl's work. Any signature or provenance?
 
Thank you for sharing the images of your beautiful revolver. It is stunning.

I have been very fortunate in being a temporary caretaker of several scarce or unusual Smith's over the years.
A really unique Super Police S&W revolver is the one that keeps eluding me.
Half the fun is the search.
 
I'm not a big fan of engraved guns but I sure like yours.

Some are just perfect. Good on you for finding one of them.
 
Actually Lee it's the first one fired that's the earliest! I know that there were 2 units in my letter but that gun had not shown up yet. McDonald and Linforth were distributors. S&W could have saved on shipping and sent all the guns to M&L and let them distribute the guns. Bill
 
Once again, clicking "Like" just doesn't convey my feelings. We still need tabs that say something like "Adore" or "Lust After" or something even more emphatic. ;)

One of my goals in small guns is to take my old Baby Chief and give it the Super Police treatment. I thought I had found a gunsmith willing to do it, but he was thinking of doing the King Target conversion with rib and all, certainly not appropriate for my Baby! Your excellent pictures will go in my files for possible use in having a talented machinist I know set up to try and replicate the package. Thanks for sharing! :)

Regards,
Froggie

PS Does anyone have a date for the end of King Gunsights? Did the company exist in any form after WW II?
 
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I knew who had posted this before I even clicked on the thread. Seriously.

A gorgeous gun, accompanied by the usual array of outstanding photographs.

Sooner or later, people looking at this simply run out of superlatives.

Nothing left for me to say.
 
My goodness that is a real gem! Had no idea that King put sights on fixed sight revolvers.{shows how much I get out}
Does any one know of a gunsmith that can/will, put a white outline on my model 10 such as the one pictured? Does anybody even attempt this?
Ron
 
Well, that takes my breath away. And if I had come across it first, it would have taken my money away too. Congratulations.

There's a Robert W. Balich in San Francisco in the 1940 census. His Occupation is Merchant and his Industry is Sporting Goods. R.W. was born in California in 1887. Several other Balich households in San Francisco in those years stem from post-1900 immigrants from Yugoslavia. 583 Market St. is a commercial address, but the site is now filled with an office tower whose street number is 595. A Peet's Coffee shop occupies part of the ground floor about where 583 was once located.

I don't see an A. Balich in the records, but this wouldn't be the first time a spelling or transcription error was found in the company's shipping records.

EDITED TO ADD: In 1920, 583 Market was the address for R.T. Crocker, manufacturer of leather and sporting goods, and Ellery Manufacturing Company of America. In 1928, this was also the address for the San Francisco retail store of the Boy Scouts of America. In 1942, the address was home to Alco Leather Co. (cases and sporting goods) and a metal replating operation. I haven't been able to turn up the name Balich in association with any of these uses. Only the 1940 census ties him to sporting goods.
 
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Beautiful gun, congratulations on finding that one!! I just wish I knew what tool they used to put the U shaped notch in rear sight. What a difference it must make in the sight picture. It would be just fascinating if King had you tube movies showing what they did and how they dd it but the internet was a very slow dial up connection back then. Ha ha Enjoy!
 
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