Interesting engraved 38 1905

[Aussie Collector]

.38 Military & Police Model of 1905, 3rd Change
Barrel, cylinder and frame numbers match.150923
61/2" barrel target sights.
Arrived tonight so photos done in average light, I will get better ones in a few days, work commitments...
I do not know anything about JH Roberts.

Possibility could be Canadian Army Officer Major-General J.H. Roberts. Who could have attended the Inter-Allied Games held in France 1919....me grasping at straws, it's all I have..

 

[Breakaway500]

I really like it. Tastefully done and bold at the same time. Very nice piece.

 

[Spurdann]

Wonderful engraving, make sure to update when you find out who JH Roberts was.

 

[22hipower]

I like it a lot, thanks for sharing it with us. Hope the J H Roberts turns out to the Major General, that would truly be the "icing" on a very nice "cake."

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[quinn]

General officers seem to like their gold. I have Brg. Gen Charles "Bab" Baron's blue and gold pinto M&P. That is a stunner you have there Mate!

 

[DARE]

Very nice. Definitely think you should get a letter.
Here is 210874. Shipped May 14, 1913 to Hamburg, Germany. 6" barrel, has German proof marks.
SCSW 4th says 3rd Change started 1909 with SN 146900. My guess would be 1909 or 1910 for your gun. Says barrel lengths of 4" and 6" found. Perhaps your 6 1/2" was a special order.

 

[RKmesa]

Beautiful!!! I am looking forward to more photos... a lot more photos. Also, what grips was it stocked with? And we would love to hear the story of how it came to your collection in Australia. Furthermore, that gun NEEDS an historical letter to see if was factory engraved.

Here are a couple of 6.5" 1905 3rd Targets for ship date reference:

154998 shipped in Aug 1910





... and 158135 shipped in October 1910





I would be very happy to welcome that beauty into my safe. Thank you for sharing and congrats on a GREAT gun.

 

[Jim Watson]

That one would be worth changing your name for.

 

[Green Frog]

I did a quick double take when I saw the name on the barrel. There is currently an engraver in NOVA named JJ Roberts, so I had to double check what I was seeing. I like the fact that the cylinder was engraved in such a way that the drag ring would not interfere with the engraving and the gun could be used. Overall, the word that comes to mind for the engraving is "tasteful". Not enough to be overdone but still plenty of "WOW"!

Froggie

 

[Babysitr]

Cant wait to hear the rest of the story! beautiful revolver, made for someone important, for sure

 

[iby]

Excellent!
Looks like Young work

 

[Keith Brown]

What a beautiful old M&P Target, a letter is a must ! My favorite prewar Smith all dressed up for the parade. More photos please.

 

[RKmesa]

.38 Military & Police Model of 1905, 3rd Change. Barrel, cylinder and frame numbers match. 150923 6 1/2" barrel target sights.

Bumping this one to the top, hoping Aussie Collector can share some more (lots more) photos of this great revolver and that someone can share more information about J. H. Roberts.

Thanks,

 

[MelvinWalker]

I am not sure that General JH Roberts is who this belonged to. Doing a little research, Canadian General JH Roberts was humiliated in 1942 at the Dieppe raid and subsequent training and he never held a command again. Although he probably did, I can't find any record of him traveling to Australia. Although this purchase would have been two decades before that, I doubt General Roberts was anything close to a General in 1910.

On the other hand there was a very prominent educator/principal named J.H. Roberts who died in Australia 1922. He traveled all over Australia and was instrumental in educating the people living in far east island of Tonga, as well as college principal of two colleges on the mainland. He apparently traveled all over Australia in his life including New South Wales, Victoria, etc...He sounds like someone who could have afforded this quality of firearm.

See attached 1922 obituary from The Sydney Morning Herald in 1922

[/IMG]

 

[MelvinWalker]

Also, J. H. Roberts is not listed as one of 1500 participants in the Inter-Allied games....Link here and Ctrl-F:

Full text of "The inter-allied games, Paris, 22nd June to 6th July, 1919;"

 

[Aussie Collector]

The engraving I think may have been done by Beistegui Hermanos, royal revolvers looking at the stock inserts.
Here are more pictures.

 

[Keith Brown]

Aussie Collector, thanks for the new pics, after clicking on them I can get a much better look into the engraving. My favorite engraved guns feature scrolls and gold line work, not a great fan of inlayed animals or figures but that's just a me thing ! This gun checks all my boxes when added to an M&P Target. Thanks for showing a bit more of it.

 

[RKmesa]

The engraving I think may have been done by Beistegui Hermanos, royal revolvers looking at the stock inserts.

Here are more pictures.

I love it!!. Thank you for sharing. Like Keith said, that one checks all the boxes for a great M&P Target!!! In looking on the web, it looks to me like Beistegui Hermanos was a gun maker. Did they also engrave guns? Do you have any idea when the engraving may have been done? Are there any engraver marks or stamps, perhaps under the thumb release, or under the grips on the grip frame?

Thanks again for sharing.

 

[Aussie Collector]

I love it!!. Thank you for sharing. Like Keith said, that one checks all the boxes for a great M&P Target!!! In looking on the web, it looks to me like Beistegui Hermanos was a gun maker.
Did they also engrave guns? Do you have any idea when the engraving may have been done? Are there any engraver marks or stamps, perhaps under the thumb release, or under the grips on the grip frame?

Thanks again for sharing.

I found a few engraved gold inlay guns made by BH some one previous rockisland auctions. I don't know if they engraved other guns or if their engraving was in-house or out sourced.

There is a number "14" under the grips, I thought possible it means 1914?

 

[RKmesa]

...There is a number "14" under the grips, I thought possible it means 1914?

That could be, but it could also just be inspector marks... Another interesting feature of that gun is that the front sight appears to be screwed on (with the screw head on the right side) like many of the front sights in King reflector bases. Most of the other front sights for target guns of this era were pinned on with a domed pin. If you get a chance, it would be fun to see a few close ups of the front sight and sight base.

Thanks again for sharing,