One of the Rarest Triple locks Targets Known

[bmg60]

Hi
Well I guess I will finish off the week with one last very rare Triple lock in 44/40 Cal..
This revolver is one of less than 3 Known to exist. This is a special order shipped in
Nov 13 1916 to Mr. E. S. Sherwood no address Listed. This is another one of the special
order guns that did not get shipped the letter say delivered to. In the early 1900 this practice
has been noted on several guns. My 2nd model special order was listed the same way.
This gun has not been fired since it left the factory it is 99% original.
This gun was in a couple of great collections the last one before me was Ray Cheely.
I received this from Sheryl last year and it is home to stay.
This is one of less than Five Triple lock Targets in this condition, and the only one in 44/40.
Enjoy the story and the history on the factory letter.
Jim Fisher
LM1491

 

[Watchdog]

That gun is heart-stoppingly beautiful. What a treasure it must be for you. I looked at the ship date and it popped into my head that my late father was just a year old when that gun shipped. Congratulations on adding another beauty to your collection.

 

[chud333]

Another beauty and a very rare bird indeed.
Thanks for sharing again Jim.
An amazing TL !!


Chuck

 

[quinn]

Jim, I don't guess we'll be getting a range report any time soon. That is another treasure.

 

[Troystat]

That is an amazing revolver thank you for showing us.

 

[amazingflapjack]

Being close to the WWI time frame makes speculating on the original owner interesting to me. Gorgeous revolver.

 

[policerevolvercollector]

That is breathtaking!!!

 

[gjamison]

Someone just posted a triple lock target a week ago, just as nice yours....

 

[OLDSTER]

Stunning. Thanks for sharing

 

[Dillyp]

schwing!!!

 

[DumpStick]

Wow.

Just look at the fit of the grips. From the factory.

That just doesn't happen these days.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Hello bmg60,

I did some very quick research on "E. S. Sherwood" and found three interesting historical possibilities. I emphasize, these may not be the guy.

First, there was a E. S. Sherwood working as a route delivery person for the Adams Express Company in 1917. They were a freight and cargo company. Location was Kansas City, Missouri. I could see the need for the gun. Hmmm?

Second, there was an bookkeeper, turned insurance agent working in Springfield, Illinois between 1896 to at least 1914. Seems to be a successful guy... probably had some $$$?

Last but not least, there was a E. S. Sherwood working as a salesman for the L. D. McLean Company in San Francisco, California in 1909. They were high-end wholesale grocers and cigar importers. Who knows?

ANYWAY, I thought I'd pass this along for fun. Three cities, three possibilities. Investigating original ownership is an interesting question.

Best wishes!

Roger aka Mr. Wonderful

 

[bmg60]

44/40 Triple lock

Someone just posted a triple lock target a week ago, just as nice yours....

Hi
George I saw the post and it is as nice as this one, it was a great Triple lock
but it was a 44 special. There were estimated about 100 target triple locks
made. The 44/40 was a special order and there are only give or take
5 or 6 that are known. I have only seen 3 in 40 years of collecting.
Thanks for you post.
Jim Fisher
LM1491

 

[rct269]

"There were estimated about 100 target triple locks made." (Jim Fisher, 2/10/2017)

I pay (very close) attention to ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING from Jim---even more so when confusion reigns supreme. This is one of those times.

Did you mean to say exactly what you said ("---100 target triple locks made."), or is there some missing qualification---such as caliber---or barrel length---or finish---or something? I ask for several reasons, not all of which are necessarily valid. The primary less than valid reason is it seems like (to me) there are more than 100 TLT's. Next comes input from other informed sources: My letter on my 7 1/2" .44 Special TLT notes Jinks' opinion "-----that between 250 and 500 (TLT's) were completed with 7.5 inch barrels and some type of target sight." (I take "some type of target sight" to include the Bisley guns.)

I could go on, but the bottom line goes like this: Please elaborate.

Many thanks!!

Ralph Tremaine

It just dawned on me my confusion may arise from nothing----nothing like an extra zero inadvertently left off "100"---which was meant to be 1,000. (???)

 

[DGT]

Jim, that TLT is nothing short of stunning.

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

stunning!!

 

[bmg60]

Ralph
There were 15000 Triple locks made that number included all the different Calibers. The normal percentage that were targets is between 8% and 10% this means 1500 target models in all calibers. Now this is before any factor of destroyed revolvers, war lost, and police dept destroyed.
I don't know what that number is. I based my number of Triple locks
Targets on the number we see. I believe Roys number does not include
any of these factors. If you look thru the data base I think you will see
a very small numbers of Targets.
All of the amount we see are fixed sight guns. a couple of years ago there was a display of triple locks around 100 but out of that 100 there was less that 10% targets.
I hope this helps because I am only giving my best Estimate.
If you look at the number of Targets that have sold on auctions and the price they brought that will give you a idea of the rarity of these models.
Jim Fisher
LM1491

 

[mikepriwer]

Jim

Nice gun !

As to the letter saying delivered, and not shipped, I read it a bit differently. What it actually says is
"it was shipped from the factory on --- and delivered to ---."

The next sentence says
"The records indicate that this handgun was shipped with a 6.5" barrel---."

Both sentences use the word 'shipped".

I would say that the word delivered is referring to the name of the person to whom the gun is being shipped to. Ie, if I were to ship you something, then the shipping address would have your name in it, and it ought to ultimately be delivered to you. Its also interesting that, from one of the above posts, the three E. S. Sherwoods found were all from another state. If it were one of these three, the gun would have had to be shipped.

I suppose you could mail a copy of that letter back to Roy, and ask him what he meant!

In no way does this take away from the rarity of the gun. I'm sure that any triplelock in 44-40 is a rare gun.

Regards, Mike

 

[rct269]

Understood---survivors. I have no clue---aside from my one---or possibly two. I just got a King Super Target conversion---not even here yet, which may or may not have started life as a target model (probably not). I'll know when the letter arrives--------and if anybody knows, what's the turnaround time for letters now?

Ralph Tremaine

 

[Hoosier45]

Mr Fisher, yet another amazing Triple Lock.

It seems we all want to pinpoint the number of Targets and Nickel guns...and then how many nickel targets were made? From there we add in the rarity of barrel lengths and calibers. The number of Triple Locks in collector hands drop off very quickly when you add one or two non-standard features. I just got my first triple lock after a few years of looking for the right one. It's a Nickel, Target, in .45 Colt. I'm sending for a letter request tomorrow. It's not quite original though, but I believe it to be a factory target and caliber conversion to .45 Colt which is still a fairly scarce combination.