OP
Engraved model 28 unknown engraver
- Thread starter Gretschguy1637
- Start date
Looks like a Pre-Model 28; must be earlier than '58. The ivory looks nice, but do they fit properly at the bottom of the front grip strap?
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OP
Gretschguy1637
Member
Yeah, the grips are kind of odd. I don't know why somebody would've cut those unless they were for a different N frame but I don't know for sure. Whether they were full grips or modified at some point after I don't know. Much like the gun it's a mystery to me.
Very nice pistols love the engraving
Model19man
Member
Superb engraving. Whoever did that was a very talented person.
Beautiful piece?
Where's RKMesa?
Where's RKMesa?
Hello to everyone, I have a bit of a conundrum. I have a model 28 in my possession that is fully hand engraved inlaid with 14 karat gold and came with original ivory grips. I purchased it 25+ years ago & the story I was told was that the firearm was utilized by a deputy chief, for the CHP who is in charge of their honor guard. Apparently according to the story, he found an engraver and created a gun that he wore only for special events
How much truth there is to that story I have no idea. The gun by serial number shows to be a 1958 model 28 I do know that Smith & Wesson did not engrave model 28s because they were considered to be duty weapons only.
if someone could take a look at the pictures I have posted, maybe they might have some information and point me in the right direction. I have checked just about everywhere that you would think someone might conceal or at least camouflage their initials or name but I am unable to find anything. comments directions or just plain help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks to all!
What a fun Highway Patrolman! I consolidated the photos and showed them full screen for those of us who hate clicking on the small icons...
Here are a few quick observations/questions:* As noted above, it looks like it is a pre-model number 5-screw gun.
* The front Baughman sight has been modified.
* The barrel appears to be turning a bit "plum" as the re-bluing ages (but it could also be the lighting on the photos)
* The relatively full-coverage engraving appears to be nicely executed and I love the gold border inlays. Including the double borders around the rear of the cylinder.
* The animal inserts are interesting, but lack the precise details, and attention to precise anatomy seen in engravings of some well known engravers like Alvin White.
* Could you find any engraver marks on the gun (e.g. initials, symbols, etc...) that might help us determine who engraved it? These marks could be under the grips on the frame, or under the thumb latch, or worked into the engraving pattern itself.
* The case you have it setting on is a factory case that is much newer than the gun (from the 1970s).
* No specific engraver jumps out to me, but the engraving looks a little like engraving I have seen from Ogawa.
* I would love to see the gun in person and think it would be a fun addition to any .357 Magnum collection.
Thank you so much for sharing it with the rest of us!
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Be still my beating heart!!! What a joy to my eyes!!! Sincerely. bruce.
The rattle snake is a nice touch on a beautiful gun.
Very nice! I would love to sit and watch someone with that talent to work metal for about a week. It just amazes me a human being can do that with their hands. I did not catch that the screw heads were engraved until gmborkovic pointed it out... WOW what a revolver...
pantannojack
US Veteran
I have never enjoyed looking at engraving until seeing your example here. All others in my limited education just looked "scratched up". Thanks for showing.
jem102, the engraved screw heads are just the final touch on a gun.
Remember as a kid seeing them on old cased Colts from the 1860s.
When I say kid ,I mean gun shows from the 50s.
Remember as a kid seeing them on old cased Colts from the 1860s.
When I say kid ,I mean gun shows from the 50s.
It looks like there is a double inlay (side by side) bands around the rear of the cylinder. One in gold, one in either silver or perhaps platinum or palladium.
The scroll work reminds me of either Japanese engravers work or some of the Spanish engravers.
It is full coverage but in some areas is hurried and breaks down in style, flow and balance.
A good example is just below the thumb release and also above it where the area to be engraved narrows as the scroll tapers as it climbs to the top of the sideplate.
Any detail breaks down along with normal smooth flow of the elements of the basic scroll design.
Some of that occurs in tight spaces where the gun's structure gets in the way of the engravers chisel as he/she cuts the scrolls and arcs that form them. So instead of one continuous cut to form a nice smooth scroll, the entire scroll or arc must be cut in pieces from different directions with the beginnings and ends meeting up to form a smooth line.
Tough to do but that's what must be done.
Inability to do that will either leave the elbow & knee effect of the connecting lines being linked together from different directions, or if the engraver trys to beat the impediment of the frame structure being in the way and bully the chisel around it, the scroll ends up less than smooth, rounded as it should.
The scroll has been cut in relief,,that is a process that will add at least 1/2 again as much time to the job as doing it in non-relief work. At times more depending on the depth, detail and the background work applied.
14k gold is terribly difficult to inlay as it is hard to begin with. It does anneal but when done it is no where as soft and easy to work with as 24k or 22k.
Plus as soon as you start to hammer or punch it down into the steel to actually inlay it, it work hardens very quickly.
You get one chance at success pretty much.
AA White worked a lot with 18k in inlay/overlay work in his animal figure work. That was considered quite a job, and it is. 18k is no joy to work with either but being a bit softer than 14k, it is a little more forgiving.
They both wear quite well and for that reason they used to be used for overlays. The details engraved into them didn't wear off quickly as they do on a 24k overlay. 18k has better yellow color than 14, a richer look as they say.
Some supposed 14k (& 10k) inlays have been with plain brass. Very much the same look and customers don't know the difference. Their wallet does through./.
Inlaying a figure with a sawn out piece of gold in those lower karat is usually a failure unless the piece is clamped down at it's corners and then punched into place .
The clamping keeps the piece from 'growing' and bending upward and out of your cutout in the steel as it workhardens quickly from the rather sharp blows need to 'set' the gold.
24k is like nearly working with lead it's so soft especially when annealed.
The only thing I see on the revolver that may be a engravers mark or maybe a Shop marking is on the RH side of the bbl shroud.
About mid way and just sitting in and on top of the scroll engraving it looks like a letter 'K'.
Maybe it's just part of the scroll cut and the pic makes it look like a K .
But that's all I picked out.
You may have to enlarge the pic of the RH side (Pic #1) to see it.
The scroll work reminds me of either Japanese engravers work or some of the Spanish engravers.
It is full coverage but in some areas is hurried and breaks down in style, flow and balance.
A good example is just below the thumb release and also above it where the area to be engraved narrows as the scroll tapers as it climbs to the top of the sideplate.
Any detail breaks down along with normal smooth flow of the elements of the basic scroll design.
Some of that occurs in tight spaces where the gun's structure gets in the way of the engravers chisel as he/she cuts the scrolls and arcs that form them. So instead of one continuous cut to form a nice smooth scroll, the entire scroll or arc must be cut in pieces from different directions with the beginnings and ends meeting up to form a smooth line.
Tough to do but that's what must be done.
Inability to do that will either leave the elbow & knee effect of the connecting lines being linked together from different directions, or if the engraver trys to beat the impediment of the frame structure being in the way and bully the chisel around it, the scroll ends up less than smooth, rounded as it should.
The scroll has been cut in relief,,that is a process that will add at least 1/2 again as much time to the job as doing it in non-relief work. At times more depending on the depth, detail and the background work applied.
14k gold is terribly difficult to inlay as it is hard to begin with. It does anneal but when done it is no where as soft and easy to work with as 24k or 22k.
Plus as soon as you start to hammer or punch it down into the steel to actually inlay it, it work hardens very quickly.
You get one chance at success pretty much.
AA White worked a lot with 18k in inlay/overlay work in his animal figure work. That was considered quite a job, and it is. 18k is no joy to work with either but being a bit softer than 14k, it is a little more forgiving.
They both wear quite well and for that reason they used to be used for overlays. The details engraved into them didn't wear off quickly as they do on a 24k overlay. 18k has better yellow color than 14, a richer look as they say.
Some supposed 14k (& 10k) inlays have been with plain brass. Very much the same look and customers don't know the difference. Their wallet does through./.
Inlaying a figure with a sawn out piece of gold in those lower karat is usually a failure unless the piece is clamped down at it's corners and then punched into place .
The clamping keeps the piece from 'growing' and bending upward and out of your cutout in the steel as it workhardens quickly from the rather sharp blows need to 'set' the gold.
24k is like nearly working with lead it's so soft especially when annealed.
The only thing I see on the revolver that may be a engravers mark or maybe a Shop marking is on the RH side of the bbl shroud.
About mid way and just sitting in and on top of the scroll engraving it looks like a letter 'K'.
Maybe it's just part of the scroll cut and the pic makes it look like a K .
But that's all I picked out.
You may have to enlarge the pic of the RH side (Pic #1) to see it.
Marshal Tom
Member
Have you looked into who the Deputy Chief was at the time? You might be able to research him and come up with a link to the engraver that way. There might be pics of him wearing the gun as part of his duties with the honor guard as well. Very interesting and beautiful piece to be sure!
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Very cool old Highway Patrolman! Might be that the ivory grips were on a gun with a cut grip frame for Fuzzy Farrant grips?
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