A Mother of Pearl Thread

[Modified]

I don't have much mother of pearl, mostly because I don't much care for nickel guns where they seem to be most at home. I ended up with an interesting set of them recently that got my interested up in them a bit. They are are hard to photograph, and none of my K-Frame's don't really have the right shine to do them justice, but I thought you guys might find them interesting.

I would love to see some of your more interesting sets too. I know they are out there.

This set has a couple minor issues, screw is too long for one, and the hole the positioning stud goes in it is a little too long. I expect they would take a little bit of love to make exactly right. I am however pleased with the age and condition, despite a few attractive cracks and discolorations they seem to be remarkably damage free.

 

[gmborkovic]

I like MOP. They are like glass grips. I can not imagine the artisans that worked with that medium. Just appreciate them.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

These are pearls on a .22/32 HFT that went back to the factory for the snubby barrel. It also has a humpback hammer. I've never seen another I Frame with a HBH. It was owned by a son-in-law of the Wesson family.

 

[Dump1567]

These came on a 1920 New Service I picked-up. Still waiting on a letter to see if they were original with the gun. It currently sports Elk horn.

 

[Mike McLellan]

Here's mine. They look and feel good, but they're probably not the best for actual shooting.

 

[Muley Gil]

Dump,

Have you IDed the owner of that holster?

 

[STCM(SW)]

The only one I have...

 

[crsides]

couple in the safe.





Charlie

 

[red9]

Here's one that isn't nickel. The pearls and gold both letter.

Bob

 

[mikepriwer]

For the record, K-frames with a round butt are Models of 1902, not 1905.

Mike Priwer

 

[kimporter]

my only pearl

 

[jsfricks]

Recently shown in another thread but these MOP came on a 3rd model 44. They have the typical Wolf & Klar Roman numerals on back of the left grips. Plan on finding some jigged bone or period correct wood grips for shooting. Recently repaired the chip with a new product called Bondic and some white acrylic powder. Turned out pretty good!

 

[italiansport]

Here's one from my collection:
Jim

 

[digi-shots]

Here's a pair of steer head pearls with ruby eyes on an early M&P.
This 5 screw has the early round front sight and fishhook hammer.

 

[policerevolvercollector]

This refinished .32-20 HE started out life in blue and was carried by a n officer at Dodge City KS PD. I salvaged the pearls from another gun I found in a pawn shop.

 

[RKmesa]

Quick Camera pics of a set of N-Frame Steer-heads - currently gunless, as I have not found the "right" gun to pair them with...

 

[colt_saa]

I have plenty of MoP, but not on guns.

Here is a small sample of the Missing Link Custom Knives' collection that I work with

Hope you guys like it

 

[mrcvs]

Here's a Triple Lock. Not original to the firearm, but still mother of pearl.

 

[Hunter Keith]

Model 1905 .32-20 WCF with pearls.

From the SCSW 3rd Edition, only approximately 4,300 were made. I wonder how many of these came with pearls and were nickel. Anybody hazard a guess?

 

[JCS&W]

My dad loved MOP on nickel guns.

 

[glowe]

I only have one example, a 38 Single Action Model of 1891. Of course, the non-medallion pearls were post-factory, as the letter verifies. I found a 38 target barrel and proper style hard rubber stocks and built the case I fit them in from an old silverware box.

I picked this up from one of our knowledgeable experts on the Forum and it is quite valuable information on factory vs non-factory pearl stocks.

Medallions on Pearl and Ivory stocks were not added to S&W stocks until after the Columbian Expo of 1893, but after that date all factory pearl stocks had medallions. Robinson was one of the suppliers of the pearl blanks to S&W and had been making pearl stocks as well as ivory going back into the 1860s. Around the late 1920s to early 1930s, S&W quit supplying pearl stocks as they stated they could no longer rely on obtaining quality pearl for stocks.

 

[Tom K]

The ones on the .500 Magnum and the Regulation Police are imitation, the others are genuine pearl (although not factory).

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/226247-amazing-colossal-ladysmith.html

 

[jaymoore]

Someone else wanted the "plain" revolver rather worse than I did, but the engraved one is still about. Condition isn't pristine, but it still shoots OK.

 

[Rick Bowles]

Baby Chief with MOP and deep dish medallions

Colt factory engraved (Cuno Helfricht) 1903 Type 1. Letters with engraving and pearl.

.32 HE 1903 5th. change with factory pearl and deep dish medallions

Colt 1908 .380 Model M (1925) factory nickel

 

[Wyatt Burp]

I have an old pair of thin K frame pearls, but only pictures of these two.

Cut down (maybe by a police armorer) police dept. marked Colt Police Positive .38 S&W, but pictured with Colt New Police .38 ammo. It's just a flat point .38 S&W cartridge that kept Colt from having to put "S&W" on their guns back then.


Renickeled 1890 Colt .44-40 with barrel cut to 5". Ten years ago I bought the grips for $80 after they sat in the gun shop for over a year at around $125. The markings on this gun are all crisp except the barrel where they are barely visible.