A mildly ostentatious 32 squeezer.

[pace40]

Shipped on Sept 15, 1900, this 1st model Safety Hammerless underwent a facelift early in its life with an interesting combination of motiffs in gold over nickel. Enjoy!

Relish the Quest !

 

[victorylarry]

Pace,
Love it! Absolutely one of a kind!
Larry

 

[44 Shooter]

Great gun! True "Gun-porn".

 

[pistola]

Mac Daddy !

Now that is a pimp gun.

 

[1-1917]

Jarvis was quite an engraver wasn't he.. Have to admire his art work.
Anyone know when he got started in engraving? I know he was at S&W from 1905-1958. I've seen some of his later work but nothing that early. Seems to have been quite accomplished in 1910. His personal piece maybe or did always sign his work like that?

 

[deadin]

I wonder if that could be his "Masterwork"? I think that the apprenticeship system was still being used for engravers at that time. He may have been hired on at S&W as a journeyman engraver (after completing his apprenticeship) and this was his qualifying piece to become a master engraver. The time frame would be about right.

 

[opoefc]

Mike, Fantastic. What's the provnance of the gun? Some aspects of it appear to have started out as etched and then finished by relief engraving. What does the factory letter say ( If there is even a shipping record for the gun) ? Ed.

 

[SDH]

WOW!
I agree with Ed that some of the work doesn't look like it was done with cutting tools, but that's no knock! It all look fantastic!

I presume the cylinder, grip safety and (?) are nickeled and not gold plated?

Being a 1st Model is bonus points, eh?

(Please ignor speculation, if you want to make up a story find a novelist.)

 

[cflier]

Pace, that is a terrific find. I love it.

Mark

 

[M29since14]

I thought your "mildly ostentatious .32 squeezer" was pretty good, and then you came up with "a combination of motifs" - indeed!

That's neat. Thanks for showing us.

 

[pace40]

"... ostentatious... " QUOTE]

Took me an hour to find it in the dictionary this morning. Thought it started with an "A"

______________________

"I presume the cylinder, grip safety and (?) are nickeled and not gold plated?"

Yep, I'll get some shots in better lighting eventually.
Nickel trigger guard, grip safety, thumb latch and cylinder stop. Also associated pins.

__________________________

ED...

I can only take it back a couple of collections as far as provenance. Standard letter to Belknap Hardware in Louisville. Shipped in nickel. Roy did comment that it was an interesting piece.

_________________________


Thanks for all the comments. Its one that's a little over the top that I thought folks would enjoy seeing.

 

[opoefc]

Mike, When Roy says "It's an interesting piece," I find those guns he says that about, are in the National Treasure classification in my book! Ed.

 

[kennyb]

very nice as always!

 

[Masterpiece]

Mike,
I agree with Ed!! Whenever Roy puts a "Personal Comment" like that into one of his letters you know there is more to it!! I have an Engraved Model No. One 2nd Issue that was most likely Nimschke Engraved,but not signed. Roy's letter states that it was Engraved in the "Style known of L.D.Nimschke" and I consider this to be a "Finely Engraved Revolver"!! I think this was as close as he could say that it "Was" without the L.D.N. Markings!! The Pattern is exactly as shown in the Tracings in Nimschke's Engraving Pattern Book & the Tracing of my Side Plate with the Dogs Head Engraved on it matches exactly to his including the surrounding scrollwork & I mean "Exactly"!!!!

Also,you would think as well known as Harry Jarvis was I find it hard to believe you can't get anymore information regarding the background of your Revolver. Jarvis had been working as a S&W Engraver since 1905 & being engraved 5 yrs. later than this you would think something would show up somewhere. Your Revolver has a tremendous amount of intricate patterns and relief engraving to have been just one of Jarvis's run of the mill engraving jobs. Especially having his name engraved & dated like that on the barrel. The only way I see this not being done in-house is that he was still doing work on the side as well as working for S&W so there ought to be something out there!!

 

[twaits]

That gun is incredible! Thanks for sharing.