Anybody know anything about Kearsarge stocks? Supposedly made 50-60 years ago, carved with designs, for N-frames. There is a pair for sale on eBay now. First I've ever heard of them. ???

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Anybody know anything about Kearsarge stocks? Supposedly made 50-60 years ago, carved with designs, for N-frames. There is a pair for sale on eBay now. First I've ever heard of them. ???

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Are these the same grips?

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/for...4/m/8151037352

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Wherever my mind isn't
Jim

There is a very good thread from about a year or so ago.

Later, Mike Priwer

Those grips are identical to the pair on eBay.

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

FWIW, the eBay grips are most likely modified, and not by the man who carved Kearsarge. He would almost certainly have surrounded the stars with oak leafs, not seen on one of the grips. I find myself wondering if somebody modified a set of Kearsarge grips, by first sanding off a lot of the original dimension. The small amount of background "dotting" within the wood is another clue. Very strange how that just sort of fades away, like no set of Kearsarge any of us ever saw. I doubt he would not have used genuine ivory either. Finally, the design with the star does not appear to function as any sort of finger/hand wrap around the panels. It is not a part of a hand fit, in other words, something he was an expert at.
I have sent this link to his family and they agree the stars are not original to the grips and that their father is not who modified this set of grips..

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Geoff. Since 1960.

The pictures raised some concerns with me also. Although the stars are well formed and appear three dimensional, the inletting seems sub par. My gut feeling is that they were added well after the grips were made although I can't offer any concrete basis for that feeling.

There is also a real asymetry in the contour of the butt in the two panels. The bottom of the left grip seems much more rounded (like a later Smith PC grip) and that makes me wonder if that grip might have been chipped and then refinished.

It is certainly beautiful wood, though.

Bob

Since I'm in a postin mood I'll chime in here also. I think what is visible is grain in the wood not stippling. Also the escutcheon looks right in the star, not an easy thing to do later without leaving evidence. I think Mr. Wendell began like most, doing it for a hobby and this set could be him just trying something else for a change. On the few sets I have held in my hands and some pictured in other postings on the forum the inletting looks very familiar to me as learning in progress. The placement of his carving looks right also and was well planned and not just put anywhere for looks. It's all just a guess, but that makes it fun.

Keith

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