Factory Engraved?

[shown50]

I bought this a month or so ago from Amoskeag. It's a 38(S.191,170) with a 3.25" barrel and didn't have any stocks. I don't normally collect engraved guns, but I like New Departures and gold washed guns so it checked the boxes. I don't have any experience with factory vs NY engraving as this is my only engraved gun. The engraving around the hinge screw looks similar to the No. 3 and No. 4 coverage on page 41 of the SCSW 3rd edition(I know I'm behind the times with the older edition). What do y'all think? I'm clearly not a photographer so I can take some better pictures later if these are too blurry.
Thanks for any help, I'm going to letter it after my other couple request get done.

 

[shown50]

More photos

 

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,


At one time, that was a showy gun. Did it go through a fire?
The scale on the side of the trigger guard and barrel latch
kind of look like it might have. It certainly has been neglec-
ted for a long time. Is there silver plate under the gold wash?
The pics of the grip frame look like it might have silver plate
under the gold.

Still, a very attractive looking New Departure. Congrats!


Cheers!
Webb

 

[shown50]

Hi There,


At one time, that was a showy gun. Did it go through a fire?
The scale on the side of the trigger guard and barrel latch
kind of look like it might have. It certainly has been neglec-
ted for a long time. Is there silver plate under the gold wash?
The pics of the grip frame look like it might have silver plate
under the gold.

Still, a very attractive looking New Departure. Congrats!


Cheers!
Webb

My thoughts were the same, it looks like someone carried it daily, shot it, and threw it off a bridge lol. I’m not sure about the silver plate, I’ve got another ND with gold wash over bare metal that I’m waiting on a letter for. I wondered if this had silver in the engraved cuts and gold wash over the top. Here’s a picture of my other ND

 

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,


I found out that gold plate over bare iron/steel isn’t the thing.
Apparently gold will migrate into the base metal over time. To
prevent this, an under layer is plated on the base metal first.
Then, the gold is plated. Colt use nickel under their gold plated
SAA’s in the 1960’s.


Cheers!
Webb

 

[iby]

Re your question: I believe it is Factory engraving
Nickel plated first (?)

 

[mrcvs]

I am fairly certain this IS factory engraved as it looks identical to known examples of New Departure revolvers that are, including one that I have.

 

[Boulder350]

I agree with mrcvs, looks factory to me. The standard catalog of smith and wesson has an engraving section. It shows the different levels of engraving that could be factory ordered.

 

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,


It certainly could be Factory engraved or the distributor could
have sent it out for engraving. Only way to know for sure is to
pony-up and get an Historical (Factory) Letter and see if it is listed
as leaving the Factory engraved.


Cheers!
Webb

 

[shown50]

Thanks for all the replies. I am planning on ordering a letter for this gun as soon as they finish up a couple others I sent off for recently. Would y’all consider this No. 3 or 4 coverage?

 

[mrcvs]

Here’s mine and a copy of the factory letter, indicating Style 4 engraving, gold plated, and Oscar Young engraved.