Boxes - Pre-61

[alfsauve]

In some other threads there have been pictures of the shipping boxes S&W has used in the past. I'm still sorting through my dad's estate and came across these two. Thought I'd document them and they may be of interest.

First is the original box for an M&P. This one was my great uncle Asbury's. He was the police chief in Cordelle, GA. I've had the gun for a while and haven't attempted any restoration. It's pretty much the way it was when he retired. Lot's of holster wear. I just found the box amoung my dad's things. It has the instructions painted on the inside, had a flip top lid with a lip around the bottom portion. It spent many years in my grandmother's attic and accumulated the grunge you see.

The end label, if any in those days, did not survive

Serial number is 72xxx in case anyone want to date it.

Next I found the box for a .22/.32 Airweight (aluminum frame AND cylinder). I sold the gun last month but didn't know I had the box until last night. (Yes, I will be shipping it to the buyer, no charge.) This is from 1955, though the gun's serial number dates it as 1953.

Re-enforced corners, two piece box. (Again, the label didn't survive.)

Interesting the warranty is only in English but the instructions are bi-lingual....this from 1955.

 

[handejector]

Your 38 is a Model 1905 made about 1905-06.
Yes, it had an end label with the Model, barrel length, and finish.

 

[smith17]

While that box is not really common, I believe that one marked for a 6 1/2" barrel is really uncommon.
Ed

 

[opoefc]

The lid for the 22/32 Airweight, the so called "SunRay" box lid, is not correct for the box bottom, with the April 1955 date for the warranty. Somewhere in the past they have gotton mismatched, which could have happened when the gun was shipped from S&W, but most likely afterwards. Ed.

 

[alfsauve]

The lid for the 22/32 Airweight, the so called "SunRay" box lid, is not correct for the box bottom, with the April 1955 date for the warranty. Somewhere in the past they have gotton mismatched, which could have happened when the gun was shipped from S&W, but most likely afterwards. Eed.

There's no chance dad switched box tops and bottoms. The .22/32 was the only S&W revolver he ever bought. I'm sure dad bought this directly from a S&W field rep. He was in the wholesale grocery business and sold ammo directly to farmers. The gun reps were always after him to carry other things besides the shells. All the guns he brought were from reps. Could be the gun rep was demoing this gun along with a bunch of others and mixed up the box with some others in his trunk.

The bottom did have the s/n of the .22/32 written on it in white ink/chalk.

I wish I had asked him about this before he passed on. (sigh)

 

[silvertip43]

box

alfsauve, I think your box is correct, because I also have a sunray box, with a bottom dated,
April 15, 1955. The box is for a 22/32, 3 1/2" airweight blue finish.

sonny

 

[dant]

would depend on when it was shipped, and the corners do seem to match, as for the color, the bottom being protected from the sun, would be a shade darker in color, more vivid looking......
AND if you say the number is indeed marked on the bottom , and matches the guns, tough to argue that point .
or like many of the salemans 'stuff" we recall, they take it around, and at times they go back in to be "refurbished" before going out on the market, so than the bottom may be later, and marked, who knows , if only they could talk.........................

 

[AirCommando]

pre 18 boxes

I have these two boxes from that era. The one on the left is from 1954, the right side one is 1957. Notice that the 1954 box does not have the warranty date. I don't know if K frames came in blue boxes in 1953. If they didn't, then the 1954 is one year only. After that all the boxes had the warranty printing dated 1955.

 

[alfsauve]

Box

AirComm: Seeing your boxes with s/n marked on the bottom makes me feel better about the box I sent my buyer. I was thinking that was something the sales rep had done, but it appears to be more universal than that.

SilverTip: Yep that's what dad had was the .22/32 Airweight.