I was thinking the grips are $800 all day any day. Especially if your a Texas prewar collector. Aged ivory magnas with prewar medallions and prewar length,,,oh my!!
Interesting S&W 38 special.
- Thread starter kleiss1
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I was thinking the grips are $800 all day any day. Especially if your a Texas prewar collector. Aged ivory magnas with prewar medallions and prewar length,,,oh my!!
SGT ROCK 11B
Member
I can not believe your neighbor did not know about a family heirloom revolver.
I am thinking great-grandpa or grandpa was a gun guy and the following generations are not gun people.
OP
kleiss1
Member
He said his grandfather had a large collection of guns and when he died they were all sold off by his mother. This one was found in a desk drawer after his mother passed. No one apparently knew it was in there. I knew you fine folks would have some interesting comments. Thanks
SGT ROCK 11B
Member
If that was just one of his collection I am guessing he had a great collection.
BTW excellent pictures and thank you for sharing.
This is one of those guns where “if it could only talk” comes to mind. Thanks for sharing.
Larry
Larry
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I would say it is difficult to value this one. It is a very nice looking gun but in the absence of documentation like a letter of authenticity its history is purely speculative, and now lost two full generations ago. Call it at least at the value of a HD of the same condition and era and add for how much you like the modifications.
Hopefully your neighbor is not going to sell it, but it appears there would be at least 45 potential buyers willing to dicker.
Hopefully your neighbor is not going to sell it, but it appears there would be at least 45 potential buyers willing to dicker.
DWalt
Member
It is a bit difficult to value as there will be widely differing opinions of value. For example, some may not impute any extra value to the grips and/or its engraving while others might prize them highly. And then there is the issue of its presently unknown history. About the only way to arrive at a value is to put it up for auction and see what happens.
OP
kleiss1
Member
I talked him into getting a letter. Interested to find out where it started life.
What a beauty ! The letter will be worth it.
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“Shipped to Frank Hamer” would be interesting.
RM Vivas
US Veteran
Don't get hung up on the star. There are states other than Texas that have a star as their identifier.
Best,
RM Vivas
Best,
RM Vivas
stanmerrell
Member
I'd bet that belonged to a lawman of the period. That's what I like about coming here. Seeing the old guns.
RM Vivas
US Veteran
Nice catch! I was wondering who was going to pick up on that. Yea they do look like mastodon ivory; found in a state (territory at that time) that does use the North Star as an icon.
Best,
RM Vivas
Fun 38-44! I agree with Lee's assessment of the engraving, except that it looks to me that it was engraved and then nickeled. My experience with cut through the nickel engraving is that there soon becomes some flaking evident around some of the cuts.
Here is the Russ Smith version of the Black Bear in the tree... This is not my gun (unfortunately). I believe the photos are RIA photos.
... with some of the rectangle theme on the left side...
My guess is that the above Russ Smith engraved gun was an inspiration for the engraver of the OP's Heavy Duty.
Here is the Russ Smith version of the Black Bear in the tree... This is not my gun (unfortunately). I believe the photos are RIA photos.
... with some of the rectangle theme on the left side...
My guess is that the above Russ Smith engraved gun was an inspiration for the engraver of the OP's Heavy Duty.
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I do believe I would talk to your friend about exploring every nook and cranny of the house, attic, basement, etc., just in case.
I thought that was a 'possum in the tree until I got my second cup halfway down.
I thought that was a 'possum in the tree until I got my second cup halfway down.
Actually Lee mentioned this fact first. It brings up a question, and since I have never handled a Mastodon tusk, I always assumed it preserved in its natural state not fossilized?
Great HD! If able, get any history documented.
I picked up this HD carried by a Deputy in Springfield, MO that had some great documentation to go with it and have since tracked down the Deputy’s grandson. We’re good friends now.
Here’s a letter from the Deputy talking about his HD’s and a subsequent RM,
I picked up this HD carried by a Deputy in Springfield, MO that had some great documentation to go with it and have since tracked down the Deputy’s grandson. We’re good friends now.
Here’s a letter from the Deputy talking about his HD’s and a subsequent RM,
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RM Vivas
US Veteran
Great HD! If able, get any history documented.
I picked up this HD carried by a Deputy in Springfield, MO that had some great documentation to go with it and have since tracked down the Deputy’s grandson. We’re good friends now.
Here’s a letter from the Deputy talking about his HD’s and a subsequent RM,
Spencer had RM4361; stated he wanted a gun like "Jelly" Brice's.
If your engraved gun is #385xx, the humpback hammer was installed in 1940 when the gun went in for servicing.
There are 8-9 entries in the archive for your Mr. Spencer, totalling about 20+ pages (some not really relevant). Covers 1938 to 1941 or so.
Best,
RM Vivas
Thanks! I actually bought the RM first then went back and grabbed this HD. I later sold the RM back to his grandson for what I paid since he’d been looking for it for 40 years. I know I got the docs for the RM but will need to see if I did a request on this HD.
The other HD he carried with this one did surface and is now owned by another gent here in MO. One day the three of us will meet up and have reunion of guns.
