Factory Engraved 29-2 - They Don't Get Much Nicer

RKmesa

RKmesa

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It was bright and sunny here in the AZ - 107* but with a slight breeze. So it was a perfect day to get the light box tent out and shoot a few photos.:) Today's subject was a 29-2 8.375" Factory Engraved Beauty [Edited 12/5/15 to add that I received the Factory letter back confirming the gun as factory engraved and in the configuration pictured below. :)]. I love the clean lines of "just enough, but not too much" engraving that is featured on this gun. So enough of the boring details. Here are the photos...



















I think that this one may have been engraved by one of the members of this forum, who engraved for S&W for many years. I would love for him to comment if it is his work???

Also, any photos of your engraved beauties would be much enjoyed by me.

Thanks for letting me share,
 
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No engraved guns for me........yet. I have enough S&W addictions now. One more could put me in the poor house.
 
That is a beautiful handgun and the engraving is stellar.
 
The engraving is superior to many that I've seen.
The test for me,is if he engraver can put the same,smooth curves into the smaller scrolls as the larger ones,especially in the tight places.
 
Doc44 said:
RK...Resembles the work of Tom Freyburger. Probably a little early for Paul Piquette.

Bill
Click to expand...

Bill:

You're probably right. This one, N303202 probably shipped in late 1975 or early 1976 so that would have been rather early for Paul (I think that he started in 1976 if I recall what he posted correctly).

I need to shoot a letter with the photos and details to Tom and see if he has this one jogs his memory or is in his database of guns he engraved. I have another 44 Mag that Tom engraved. He was kind enough to send me a letter of authentication for that one. He and his wife are very nice and helpful.
 
RKmesa, I really like this engraving and I very well could have done this as its a style I've engraved in the past.
However I can't honestly say I engraved this Model 29-2. I didn't see any of my trademarks but I have engraved them under the grips and under the cylinder release latch.

I've use back to back letter P ( early engravings )and my initials and signature later.
 
That is a great looking handgun. ;) I agree with the posters saying this is just enough engraving. The question is, does it just live in the safe?
 
Very nice firearm you have there and some great pictures of it. Question though on the next to the last picture is it me, my old eyes, or my monitor but it looks like a crack running down from the ? ejector, Not a revolver guy sorry if terminology is wrong.
 
gdnagle said:
Very nice firearm you have there and some great pictures of it. Question though on the next to the last picture is it me, my old eyes, or my monitor but it looks like a crack running down from the ? ejector, Not a revolver guy sorry if terminology is wrong.
Click to expand...

29-2N303207Yoke.jpg



Your eyes are still working good.:) That "crack" that you see is a seam where the frame and the "yoke" join together when the cylinder is locked shut. The yoke is an integral part of the hand ejector revolvers and it is the pivot point that attaches the cylinder to the frame and allows the cylinder to rotate out so that the cylinder can be loaded and empty cases ejected - very simple, strong and clean design.:)
 
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George_in_SD said:
Wearing a red shirt taking pictures?
Click to expand...

Actually - not a red shirt - it's just my personality showing through;).

Not really... Good catch on the red shirt. I usually wear a white shirt, but I was in a hurry and these photos were snapped pretty quickly as I had a hot date with the wife that night.:cool: Maybe, that's the red that is showing in the reflection...
 
identifying factory engraving

RKmesa said:
It was bright and sunny here in the AZ - 107* but with a slight breeze. So it was a perfect day to get the light box tent out and shoot a few photos.:) Today's subject was a 29-2 8.375" Factory Engraved Beauty. I love the clean lines of "just enough, but not too much" engraving that is featured on this gun. So enough of the boring details. Here are the photos...



















I think that this one may have been engraved by one of the members of this forum, who engraved for S&W for many years. I would love for him to comment if it is his work???

Also, any photos of your engraved beauties would be much enjoyed by me.

Thanks for letting me share,
Click to expand...
beautiful revolver, but
how do you know it is factory engraved? I ask this because I too would like to add a smith and Wesson engraved revolver to my collection.
on one thread I read that the smith and Wesson logo on factory engraved guns is always small and on the left side of the revolver as yours is.
I found a 640-1 on gunbroker that has nice engraving and the logo on the left side, but I checked with roy jinks at smith and Wesson and he said the revolver's factory invoice showed it was just a plain 640 and someone other than smith and Wesson engraved it after it left the factory.
gunbroker also had an engraved chief's special that reportedly has a factory letter, but this revolver doesn't have a logo on either side, only engraving.
I would love to have a factory engraved smith and Wesson, but other than buying one brand new and talking to the engraving division in person, or finding one with a jinks letter how can you really be sure you have a factory engraved gun?
I know there are many talented engravers out there, but I understand the most collectable of engraved smith and Wesson revolvers are those engraved by hand at the factory.
S&W 60 Custom Engraved .357 5RD 2.125"BL NIB 357 : Revolvers at GunBroker.com
 
fivetwo said:
beautiful revolver, but
how do you know it is factory engraved?
Click to expand...

Good question - I don't know for certain, as I have not lettered it yet. So I guess that I should have indicated that I believe that it was factory engraved. But here is why I'm fairly confident (but not certain) that it is factory engraved:

1) The small roll mark on the left side, when standard guns from this era (early 1970's) were shipped with the large roll mark on the right side plate.

2) I believe the presentation stocks are original and these are the type of stocks that would have come on a factory engraved gun.

3) The engraving is consistent with engraving of other factory engraved guns of this vintage. I have photos of other lettered factory engraved guns that are engraved with a very similar style.

4) A factory engraver who worked at the factory during this period indicated that it could have been one that he engraved as he engraved that style.

BUT - you are 100% correct that it may not be factory engraved and the only way to confirm for sure would be to get a letter from Roy. Were I interested in selling it, I would probably do that - but since it will probably only be sold upon my death, the circumstantial evidence is enough for me.:)

BTW - the gun in your link is beautifully engraved. I really like the polished contrast of the engraved areas.
 
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Beautiful Gun and engraving Richard.
Thanks for sharing the photos with us.
This is why i like this Forum so much because of the wonderful
firearms and people who share them and their knowledge.

Chuck
 
Doc44 said:
RK...Resembles the work of Tom Freyburger. Probably a little early for Paul Piquette.

Bill
Click to expand...

I was under the impression 70's era guns were sent to Italy for engraving. Weren't these two artists S&W in house engravers?
 
Don't you think getting a factory letter for your heirs would be the smart thing to do with such a high end piece? It could be the difference between them getting 1K or 5K for the Gun.
 
Hi Richard

I would agree with Doc44 that is looks like factory engraved and likely Mr. Freyberger's work. He tended to do more creative treatment surrounding the logo under the thumb piece. Have you looked for initials under the thumb piece?

Thanks for sharing.

Bob
 
Rad29 said:
Hi Richard

I would agree with Doc44 that is looks like factory engraved and likely Mr. Freyberger's work. He tended to do more creative treatment surrounding the logo under the thumb piece. Have you looked for initials under the thumb piece?
Click to expand...

I looked all over the gun and could find no marks. I need to call Tom and send him some photos of this gun. A year or two ago, Tom lettered a gun for me that he engraved shortly after he left S&W (see link below). He is a great person to deal with and a wonderful artist! He did tell me, with a little frustration, that while he was there, S&W was very particular that their engravers not mark their work (I understand that some discreetly marked them anyway).

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...ld-inlays-ivory-629-tom-freyburger-style.html

Thanks for the thoughts,
 
The practice of sending guns to Italy started in the later 70s, but S&W still employed several in-house engravers who continued to engrave and inlay S&W firearms.

Bill
 
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