Photos...Frank Sinatra Chief's Special...

ParadiseRoad

ParadiseRoad

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From a time in our history when the men were men.

Julia has some great auctions. I drove by there last fall and they had an armored personnel carrier parked on their front lawn that they were auctioning. For those of you who haven't yet done it, check out their web site,
 
Sevens said:
Neat.

Neater with a ...story?
Is there one?
Can we hear it? ;)
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...photos are from a James Julia Auction that took place in 2013...below is the auction description...

..."*SMITH & WESSON MODEL 36 CHIEF’S SPECIAL DA REVOLVER THAT WAS PRESENTED TO FRANK SINATRA. SN 491933. Cal 38 special. Blue finish with 2″ bbl. Fixed sights and mounted with faux pearl grips. Right side plate is engraved “TO / FRANK SINATRA / DEEPEST / APPRECIATION / M.B. POLICE / & FIREMANS / ASSN. / FEB. 19, 1967″(possibly Myrtle Beach, S.C.). This revolver was gifted by Mr. Sinatra to Mr. Henry (Hank) Cattaneo. Mr. Cattaneo has provided an notarized letter wherein he states that he began working as Mr. Sinatra’s production manager in about 1980, culminating in Mr. Cattaneo’s co-producing Mr. Sinatra’s last 3 musical albums. He states that they had a mutual interest in collecting toy trains and firearms. He further states that Mr. Sinatra toured exclusively by private jet, most often accompanied by his longtime housekeeper, Ms. Vine Jourber, not only was she his personal assistant she was also his private chef. He states that on arriving at “one of the theatrical venues in the Metro area (NY, CT, NJ) Frank said: ‘Vine needs you’. It was Vine who presented me with the box and said: ‘Frank wants you to have this’.” He states that this revolver was in the carton. A rare and unique opportunity to own a firearm from a very famous singer, movie star and actor. PROVENANCE: Frank Sinatra; Mr. Henry Cattaneo. CONDITION: Extremely fine, appears to be unfired, retaining virtually all of its orig blue with only a light cyl line. Grips are fine. 4-48215 JR383 (2,000-3,000)"...
 
I have a gold plated M-36, with an almost identical inscription...except it was to the comedian Jan Murray, then gifted to Buddy Hackett.. I looked for the "MB" on line and came up with this:

FRANK SINATRA MIAMI POLICE & FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION MONEY CLIP - Current price: $1250

I think a lot of the hollywood types did benefits in Miami beach... I think the MB is "Miami Beach????

Any other thoughts..anybody pitch in??
JIM...........
 
snake803 said:
I have a gold plated M-36, with an almost identical inscription...except it was to the comedian Jan Murray, then gifted to Buddy Hackett.. I looked for the "MB" on line and came up with this:

FRANK SINATRA MIAMI POLICE & FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION MONEY CLIP - Current price: $1250

I think a lot of the hollywood types did benefits in Miami beach... I think the MB is "Miami Beach????

Any other thoughts..anybody pitch in??
JIM...........
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...good detective work there...after seeing the money clip...I think you're right on with "MB" most likely being Miami Beach...I would like to see your Model 36 that you described above...
 
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There is a post (or link) here with an interview of John Milius, who interviewed Mr. Sinatra to play...Dirty Harry! In the interview he was quoted to say Sinatra thought the title character should have a .38 Chiefs Special; I wonder if the gun in the photo above might have been the one mentioned in the interview.

TomR, you know you can't stop the story you started telling now...please? :)
 
From a technical perspective, FS was correct in stating that Inspector Callahan should be carrying a .38 but I wouldn't agree on a J frame. A police detective of that era could easily carry a 2" K frame. In any event, accuracy in guns would have ruined one of the best lines to ever come out of a movie so Frank was wrong!!!
 
murphydog said:
There is a post (or link) here with an interview of John Milius, who interviewed Mr. Sinatra to play...Dirty Harry! In the interview he was quoted to say Sinatra thought the title character should have a .38 Chiefs Special; I wonder if the gun in the photo above might have been the one mentioned in the interview.

TomR, you know you can't stop the story you started telling now...please? :)
Click to expand...

Sinatra made the mistake of saying several things about Marilyn Monroe and Joe D did not take kindly to them.

Joe D. saw Frank in the place soon after, Joe D. grabbed Frank by the throat, put him against the wall and threatened to bash his face in. He let him go and left.

Joe D. is probably the only guy that could have done that to Frank and lived to tell about it.
 
Geez, couldn't someone in the chain of custody afforded a real set of MOP for that gun? :rolleyes: Faux pearls, really?!! :eek:
Jes sayin'.......

Still a way cool gun! :)
 
ISCS Yoda said:
From a technical perspective, FS was correct in stating that Inspector Callahan should be carrying a .38 but I wouldn't agree on a J frame. A police detective of that era could easily carry a 2" K frame. In any event, accuracy in guns would have ruined one of the best lines to ever come out of a movie so Frank was wrong!!!
Click to expand...

Yeah....Right.....Dirty Harry with a J frame or even a K frame
Just ain't cuttin' it !!!:):):)


Chuck
 
KEN L said:
Geez, couldn't someone in the chain of custody afforded a real set of MOP for that gun? :rolleyes: Faux pearls, really?!! :eek:
Jes sayin'.......

Still a way cool gun! :)
Click to expand...

And you'd think Frank would rate real engraving instead
of the electric pencil.....:eek::eek::eek:
I see why the pre-sale estimate was only 2-3K:rolleyes:

Chuck
 
Tom_R said:
Sinatra made the mistake of saying several things about Marilyn Monroe and Joe D did not take kindly to them.

Joe D. saw Frank in the place soon after, Joe D. grabbed Frank by the throat, put him against the wall and threatened to bash his face in. He let him go and left.

Joe D. is probably the only guy that could have done that to Frank and lived to tell about it.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't want a beef with either of those guys.

Might end up "sleeping with the fishes" as both i would
assume were pretty well connected.:eek:



Chuck
 
snake803 said:
Here's a couple of pix of the m-36 presented to Jan Murray and re-gifted to Buddy Hackett...Enjoy...
JIM...................
Click to expand...

...thanks for posting the photos...I'm old enough to remember both Jan Murray and Buddy Hackett...
 
That's real engraving on Frank's Chief, not electric pen. I'd like to have seen some smart a** tell Frank that "only a pimp from a ..." would have pearl (real or faux) handles on his revolver.
 
Buddy Hackett was my favorite comedian, used to appear on Johnny Carson's late night show frequently, never missed him when he was on. Buddy Hackett was a top-tier gun collector. I guess he could afford to be.
 
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