When did S&W start to offer ivory grips as a special order option and when did they terminate that option. I have seen several triplelocks and other N frame guns with S&W medalions that are ivory but don't know if they are factory or not. I guess only a Jinks letter will so state or not? Your thoughts appreciated.
Ivory Grips ?
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Art Doc
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I do not know of any factory original ivory stocks except on a few special order or presentation pieces. I'm sure the more serious and experienced S&W collectors will be along with real info.
I have seen Ivory grips (? factory) on 1858 # 1's. I am sure any Ivory from the factory was a custom special order.
BUFF
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
According to SCS&W III, ivory and other exotic material stocks were available from 1893. S&W factory produced stocks had the small S&W medallion fitted.
I am unaware of any date after which ivory would not be an option, even now in the Performance Center. An option for very few folks, though, is my guess.
I am unaware of any date after which ivory would not be an option, even now in the Performance Center. An option for very few folks, though, is my guess.
OP
Ivory
Will special order ivory grips be addressed in a Jinks letter?
Will special order ivory grips be addressed in a Jinks letter?
rburg
Absent Comrade
I'm not an expert on Roy's search technique, but because he usually tells us our guns shipped with checkered walnut or smooth goncolo alves, I'd think he'd pick that up quickly on the invoice.
Ivory wasn't all that expensive in the past. If you get a Shooters Bible from the 1930s, you see aftermarket suppliers selling them for $6 a set. My guess is it was cheaper to provide smooth ivory than checkered walnut.
There are legalities involved here, and any time you get political correctness involved with legislation, you get trouble. And anytime you get murky legislation, you get rampant violations, if only due to ignorance.
We like ivory as gun grips, but its also pretty common as shotgun bead sights. If you want to see real movement of ivory, attend any big antique show. It was a common item in victorian jewelry. There are still workers of ivory even today. The problem being they need to somehow assure the buyers (and the feds) that the ivory is legally in the US. That can only have happened prior to the ban on trade. One of our posters here used to supply his customers with a photo copy of the original import documents from the hunter who shot the elephant, decades ago. 10 or so years ago our gun show tables were right across from Jim Aliamo. Jim was a former supervisor of the Colt custom shop, and made grips (but only for Colts). He said that more difficult than the fabricating and production of the grips was finding and obtaining legal ivory.
His source was usually estates, where the old guy who went elephant hunting in the 1950s and 1960s passed away and his heirs didn't want the treasures. The key was keeping the paperwork from a long since forgotten vacation. Organized people apparently did that.
My understanding of the laws is that S&W could still offer ivory as an option, but they'd probably run into extreme protests from the political correctness crowd. Today you can probably find and buy a set of new production grips in the $400-500 range. I would expect S&W to need $1000 for the same grips.
Ivory wasn't all that expensive in the past. If you get a Shooters Bible from the 1930s, you see aftermarket suppliers selling them for $6 a set. My guess is it was cheaper to provide smooth ivory than checkered walnut.
There are legalities involved here, and any time you get political correctness involved with legislation, you get trouble. And anytime you get murky legislation, you get rampant violations, if only due to ignorance.
We like ivory as gun grips, but its also pretty common as shotgun bead sights. If you want to see real movement of ivory, attend any big antique show. It was a common item in victorian jewelry. There are still workers of ivory even today. The problem being they need to somehow assure the buyers (and the feds) that the ivory is legally in the US. That can only have happened prior to the ban on trade. One of our posters here used to supply his customers with a photo copy of the original import documents from the hunter who shot the elephant, decades ago. 10 or so years ago our gun show tables were right across from Jim Aliamo. Jim was a former supervisor of the Colt custom shop, and made grips (but only for Colts). He said that more difficult than the fabricating and production of the grips was finding and obtaining legal ivory.
His source was usually estates, where the old guy who went elephant hunting in the 1950s and 1960s passed away and his heirs didn't want the treasures. The key was keeping the paperwork from a long since forgotten vacation. Organized people apparently did that.
My understanding of the laws is that S&W could still offer ivory as an option, but they'd probably run into extreme protests from the political correctness crowd. Today you can probably find and buy a set of new production grips in the $400-500 range. I would expect S&W to need $1000 for the same grips.
Only if they shipped with the gun originally; there would be no way to verify later/different stocks from the available records.
Henry O
Member
After market Ivory Grips with S/W logo
There is a custom grip maker offering elephant ivory grips with the S/W medallion. They look and are seemingly shaped like factory but are custom made. Do a google search "Custom Ivory Gun Grips" and you will see them near the top of the Google list.
There is a custom grip maker offering elephant ivory grips with the S/W medallion. They look and are seemingly shaped like factory but are custom made. Do a google search "Custom Ivory Gun Grips" and you will see them near the top of the Google list.
doc540
Member
Ivory and genuine pearl stocks were much more common on standard guns before WW II and very popular with those that had the money. They were only $4 to $6 extra cost but recognize in that time period that could represent 1/4 to 1/3 the price of the revolver. So they were never 'cheap' relative to the value of the dollar in those times. In the years when S&W stocks came with medallions the pearl and ivory options would also have them.
The two pair of pearls shown have the sunken gold plated brass meds. of the 1910 to 1920 era.
The two pair of pearls shown have the sunken gold plated brass meds. of the 1910 to 1920 era.
opoefc
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
For what it's worth: Calif. laws do not allow anything ivory to be offered for sale in CA., regardless of the age of the item. Recently the Dep't of Fish & Game has instructed it's Game Wardens to enforce this law and they have been visiting gun shows, etc, and confiscating guns for sale, with ivory grips. It is not illegal to posses Ivory, just to offer it for sale, so smart sellers are removing the ivory stocks from their guns for sale, and posting a notice that the buyer of any such gun will receive the ivory stocks as a "gift" upon completion of a sale of the gun w/o it's stocks. Ed.
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