Hi
I Like many other member's here in the forum, attended the annual S&WCA Meeting this year which was held in Troy, Michigan this year.The Theme of this years annual meeting was the Registered Magnum. There were More Registered Magnums at our closed member only meeting then I ever Imagined Possible. The member's displays were amazing and I saw many One of a Kind Registered Magnums there. If all this Hype of Registered magnums and MR Jink's excellent Presentation of the Registered Magnum did not get your blood Pumping, You had to be Dead !
I showed up for the meeting On Wednesday and saw the One shown below for sale that grabbed my Interest. I kept walking past it and it Intrigued me to say the least
I watched it sit there until Saturday afternoon when I Decided to take the Plunge and Buy it. The owner of it at that time, was very Gracious and let me take it over to another fellow member of the S&WCA for his advice and insight on the weapon. This one is a first Year 1935 Registered Magnum that I added the Period correct Roper Stock's to once I arrived home. It came with a Factory letter that states it shipped to The Bowen Brother's hardware Company of Augusta, Georgia on December 03, 1935 with one Box of .357 Magnum ammo. I then started to do some Research on The Bowen Brother's hardware company and came up with Nothing off the Internet so I contacted the Augusta, Georgia Museum of History and was Very Impressed to see that these Bowen's had a rich history surrounded around firearms.
I then took it a step further after I saw the last owner of The Bowen brothers hardware company was a Charles Bowen III and called his Home Phone number by Looking up his name in the Phone book from Augusta, Georgia. His Wife answered the Phone and I asked if her Husband would have been one of the Kin to The Bowen's that Originally owned the hardware store ? She confirmed he was one of the Last owners along with his Uncle when it was sold in 1958. One thing I have always noticed on Factory Letter's is, They never say much about the shipping Point or stocking dealers back then, and I felt that anyone ordering such a prestigious handgun as The Registered Magnum in that Time span, more than Likely Either had to be a Huge S&W stocking dealer, or one that had a Rich Family Heritage in Firearms to even get one of these weapons, so that is why I chased down the Original owner of Bowen Brother's hardware store, and I am Glad I did.
MR Charles Bowen III and I, had a very Nice Talk about his Family Heritage of firearms which fascinated me. He said his Father would have been the one to log in my Revolver back on December 03, 1935 when it was shipped from the factory. Sadly, he said there were no record's left from shipped in Guns nor any evidence of whom they sold to. He felt this gun was special ordered by his father for an important figure in town, due to it's price back then but could not verify it. He agreed to ask around Town and see if we might find out it's original owners name, such as I agreed to keep a keen eye peeled for his Great grand fathers Musket rifles in the future. When we about to hang up from our Hour and half phone call, I asked if he would mind sending all his recollections of Family in the gun Business ? and he agreed to do it which is shown below in the Typed letter I recieved from him along with the original response from the Augusta, Georgia Historical Museum.
I felt this information would enhance the Overall value and history Trail of my Registered Magnum and have added it to the folder I have with it's factory letter. I am hoping someday that I may find out just who the Person was that it was ordered for. Prior to Purchase, while Looking closely at this Registered Magnum I noticed it had not been fired that much as it lacked a defined flame Travel line. The Original Bluing also showed that it has not been carried or handled much. It has no Five sided stars on it, and also is lacking any date stamp's indicating it was ever returned to the factory for Re-Work. I was very Lucky to come across this example and more than Likely would have never owned one if it had not been for good members of the S&WCA that want to see us Younger collectors get a Good start in collecting. I met many members I had corresponded with in the past at that meeting , and it was Nice to Put Faces with names at last
Regards, Hammerdown
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your inquiry concerning the Bowen Brothers Hardware Company in Augusta.
The only business papers I can find are an accounts ledger for December 1917 to end of 1918.
I have not found any photos of Charles W. or the business although we have general photos of Broad Street.
I looked the company up in the Augusta City Directories (not a complete set).
In 1883, 1884, 1886, 1888 & 1889 we have a William D. Bowen, gunmaker at 1028 Broad Street, resident 1226 Broad Street
In 1889 William D. Bowen, gunmaker at 1028 Broad Street, resident 1226 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, clerk W D Bowen, boards 1226 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, mess. Southern Express Co, boards 1226 Broad Street
In 1892-3 William D. Bowen, gunsmith, dealer in guns, pistols & sporting goods, 1028 Broad Street, resident 1226 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, gunsmith 1028 Broad Street, boards 1226 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, clerk 918 Broad Street, boards 1226 Broad Street
Walter J Bowen, clerk 1028 Broad Street, boards 1226 Broad Street
In 1895-6 William D. Bowen, gunsmith, 1028 Broad Street, resident 1226 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, mchist., home 1226 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, clerk, boards 1226 Broad Street
Walter J Bowen, salesman 1028 Broad Street, boards 1226 Broad Street
In 1908 William D. Bowen, gunsmith
Bowen Brothers, hardware, 908 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen (Viola H.), home 1236 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, 1226 Broad Street
Walter J Bowen, hardware, 1044 Broad Street, home 607 15th Street
In 1912 William D. Bowen, gunsmith, home 1207 Ellis Street
Bowen Brothers, hardware, 908 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen (Viola H.), home Monte Sano Ave
Guy M Bowen (Nannie H.), home 1219 Greene Street
Walter J Bowen (Pearl M.), hardware, 1044 Broad Street, home 1207 Ellis Street
In 1917 Bowen Brothers, hardware, 908 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, President, (Viola H.), home 2409 Central Ave
Guy M Bowen, Sec-Treas, (Nannie H.), home 1335 Monte Sano Ave
Walter J Bowen (Pearl M.), gunsmith, 1044 Broad Street, home 309 9th Street
In 1935 Bowen Brothers Hardware, (hardware, sporting goods, paint, oil, varnish & radio sets) 905-909 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, President
Charles W Bowen Jr, manager
Bowen & Hulbert Hardware, 829 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, VP-Treas
So as you can see from the above, the family were gunsmiths. It would seem William D was the father and the other 3 possibly his sons or other relations who had competing hardware stores.
The Augusta Genealogical Society (1109 Broad St, Augusta GA 30901, 706 722 4073) might have more on the family tree.
Hope that helps.
Guy Robbins
Curator
Augusta Museum of History
706 722 8454 x18
[email protected]
I Like many other member's here in the forum, attended the annual S&WCA Meeting this year which was held in Troy, Michigan this year.The Theme of this years annual meeting was the Registered Magnum. There were More Registered Magnums at our closed member only meeting then I ever Imagined Possible. The member's displays were amazing and I saw many One of a Kind Registered Magnums there. If all this Hype of Registered magnums and MR Jink's excellent Presentation of the Registered Magnum did not get your blood Pumping, You had to be Dead !
I showed up for the meeting On Wednesday and saw the One shown below for sale that grabbed my Interest. I kept walking past it and it Intrigued me to say the leastI watched it sit there until Saturday afternoon when I Decided to take the Plunge and Buy it. The owner of it at that time, was very Gracious and let me take it over to another fellow member of the S&WCA for his advice and insight on the weapon. This one is a first Year 1935 Registered Magnum that I added the Period correct Roper Stock's to once I arrived home. It came with a Factory letter that states it shipped to The Bowen Brother's hardware Company of Augusta, Georgia on December 03, 1935 with one Box of .357 Magnum ammo. I then started to do some Research on The Bowen Brother's hardware company and came up with Nothing off the Internet so I contacted the Augusta, Georgia Museum of History and was Very Impressed to see that these Bowen's had a rich history surrounded around firearms.
I then took it a step further after I saw the last owner of The Bowen brothers hardware company was a Charles Bowen III and called his Home Phone number by Looking up his name in the Phone book from Augusta, Georgia. His Wife answered the Phone and I asked if her Husband would have been one of the Kin to The Bowen's that Originally owned the hardware store ? She confirmed he was one of the Last owners along with his Uncle when it was sold in 1958. One thing I have always noticed on Factory Letter's is, They never say much about the shipping Point or stocking dealers back then, and I felt that anyone ordering such a prestigious handgun as The Registered Magnum in that Time span, more than Likely Either had to be a Huge S&W stocking dealer, or one that had a Rich Family Heritage in Firearms to even get one of these weapons, so that is why I chased down the Original owner of Bowen Brother's hardware store, and I am Glad I did.
MR Charles Bowen III and I, had a very Nice Talk about his Family Heritage of firearms which fascinated me. He said his Father would have been the one to log in my Revolver back on December 03, 1935 when it was shipped from the factory. Sadly, he said there were no record's left from shipped in Guns nor any evidence of whom they sold to. He felt this gun was special ordered by his father for an important figure in town, due to it's price back then but could not verify it. He agreed to ask around Town and see if we might find out it's original owners name, such as I agreed to keep a keen eye peeled for his Great grand fathers Musket rifles in the future. When we about to hang up from our Hour and half phone call, I asked if he would mind sending all his recollections of Family in the gun Business ? and he agreed to do it which is shown below in the Typed letter I recieved from him along with the original response from the Augusta, Georgia Historical Museum.
I felt this information would enhance the Overall value and history Trail of my Registered Magnum and have added it to the folder I have with it's factory letter. I am hoping someday that I may find out just who the Person was that it was ordered for. Prior to Purchase, while Looking closely at this Registered Magnum I noticed it had not been fired that much as it lacked a defined flame Travel line. The Original Bluing also showed that it has not been carried or handled much. It has no Five sided stars on it, and also is lacking any date stamp's indicating it was ever returned to the factory for Re-Work. I was very Lucky to come across this example and more than Likely would have never owned one if it had not been for good members of the S&WCA that want to see us Younger collectors get a Good start in collecting. I met many members I had corresponded with in the past at that meeting , and it was Nice to Put Faces with names at last
Regards, Hammerdown
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your inquiry concerning the Bowen Brothers Hardware Company in Augusta.
The only business papers I can find are an accounts ledger for December 1917 to end of 1918.
I have not found any photos of Charles W. or the business although we have general photos of Broad Street.
I looked the company up in the Augusta City Directories (not a complete set).
In 1883, 1884, 1886, 1888 & 1889 we have a William D. Bowen, gunmaker at 1028 Broad Street, resident 1226 Broad Street
In 1889 William D. Bowen, gunmaker at 1028 Broad Street, resident 1226 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, clerk W D Bowen, boards 1226 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, mess. Southern Express Co, boards 1226 Broad Street
In 1892-3 William D. Bowen, gunsmith, dealer in guns, pistols & sporting goods, 1028 Broad Street, resident 1226 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, gunsmith 1028 Broad Street, boards 1226 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, clerk 918 Broad Street, boards 1226 Broad Street
Walter J Bowen, clerk 1028 Broad Street, boards 1226 Broad Street
In 1895-6 William D. Bowen, gunsmith, 1028 Broad Street, resident 1226 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, mchist., home 1226 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, clerk, boards 1226 Broad Street
Walter J Bowen, salesman 1028 Broad Street, boards 1226 Broad Street
In 1908 William D. Bowen, gunsmith
Bowen Brothers, hardware, 908 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen (Viola H.), home 1236 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, 1226 Broad Street
Walter J Bowen, hardware, 1044 Broad Street, home 607 15th Street
In 1912 William D. Bowen, gunsmith, home 1207 Ellis Street
Bowen Brothers, hardware, 908 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen (Viola H.), home Monte Sano Ave
Guy M Bowen (Nannie H.), home 1219 Greene Street
Walter J Bowen (Pearl M.), hardware, 1044 Broad Street, home 1207 Ellis Street
In 1917 Bowen Brothers, hardware, 908 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, President, (Viola H.), home 2409 Central Ave
Guy M Bowen, Sec-Treas, (Nannie H.), home 1335 Monte Sano Ave
Walter J Bowen (Pearl M.), gunsmith, 1044 Broad Street, home 309 9th Street
In 1935 Bowen Brothers Hardware, (hardware, sporting goods, paint, oil, varnish & radio sets) 905-909 Broad Street
Charles W Bowen, President
Charles W Bowen Jr, manager
Bowen & Hulbert Hardware, 829 Broad Street
Guy M Bowen, VP-Treas
So as you can see from the above, the family were gunsmiths. It would seem William D was the father and the other 3 possibly his sons or other relations who had competing hardware stores.
The Augusta Genealogical Society (1109 Broad St, Augusta GA 30901, 706 722 4073) might have more on the family tree.
Hope that helps.
Guy Robbins
Curator
Augusta Museum of History
706 722 8454 x18
[email protected]
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I also appreciate your Kind words, and will share with you, that the Previous owner was very glad to see I have Pushed ahead to Uncover some of it's History Trail. Like I said, I have often wondered how Important some of these Stocking dealers were back then, and what if any Favor's S&W did such as faster shipping of New stock items ? I feel The Modern Day Large S&W stocking dealers like R.S.R and Lew Horton weigh a Lot Heavier when they Place their Gun orders with S&W. Too Bad, Pre-War Era S&W stocking dealers did not keep better track of their Guns Logged in or just who they sold them to like they do today, that would sure cut to the History chase a lot quicker..
. I wish I could have made it back to the annual meeting. I will be at Tucson next year...
Regards, Hammerdown
