Presentation Case Variation
- Thread starter JeffD607
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2008
- Messages
- 341
- Reaction score
- 1,369
I have not. All of the presentation cases I have observed have dove tailed corners. Do you have a photo of the interior of your case?
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2023
- Messages
- 651
- Reaction score
- 1,232
I’ve always wondered why some have spots for individual tools, and others have the little covered box. Is this just an older vintage?
I don’t think they were ever dove tailed. They were box joints.
OP
Here is the inside of the case. I don't see any stamping inside. I replaced the inserts due to the condition of the originals. They were the styrofoam bottom and sponge-like top. There was a break in the styrofoam near the grip and all the flocking was off and laying in the case. I kept the originals, of course.
Attachments
Mine (one 1978 and one 1980) are box joints. Both have the blow-molded upper and lower inserts with foam back behind the upper liner and the revolvers point to the left.
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2008
- Messages
- 341
- Reaction score
- 1,369
JeffD607, thanks for the additional photo. Your case seems to be an interesting variation. I’ll be interested to see if anyone else has a similar one.
I checked several of my mahogany presentation cases dating from 1960 through 1982 and all have dove tailed joints. Your case is unique. S&W made their cases in their carpentry shop so someone must have been experimenting one day.
Bill
Bill
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2008
- Messages
- 341
- Reaction score
- 1,369
The wood cases all look very similar on the outside. The external hardware and interiors changed over the years. The very earliest ones ~ 1960 had a light blue satin lining and elastic cords to retain the tools. This case is rare and was only offered for a year or so. Next was a Clamshell style case that had molded and blue flocked styrofoam inserts both top and bottom ~ early to mid 60’s. Then came a half Clamshell case with a molded styrofoam bottom and foam top ~ late 60’s to early 70’s. This was followed by a case that had plastic molded and flocked inserts top and bottom ~ mid to late 70’s. This was followed by your 80’s style case that had a plastic molded bottom with a little tray compartment and lid for the tools.
The joints on this box could even be doweled and glued...It's unique in my memory...
...Ben
...Ben
I agree...unique....possibly a one off?
I checked both of mine. Both cases are dovetailed joints like most factory wood cases.
I sold the 1980 gun but pics (no flocking left) show standard factory case with gun pointing to the right which was correct for 1980. The serial number on this 6", 29-2 was N 798908 and it shipped December 31, 1980 per factory Letter.
The other 29-2, s/n 439446, 6-1/2" should be a 1977 per that serial number and SCSW 4th, but Dr. Roy Jinks confirmed a ship date of May 1979. Gun pointing to left should be correct for 1977 but even though the gun may have sat in the vault for 2 years, I believe the case may be of 1979 vintage.
I checked both of mine. Both cases are dovetailed joints like most factory wood cases.
I sold the 1980 gun but pics (no flocking left) show standard factory case with gun pointing to the right which was correct for 1980. The serial number on this 6", 29-2 was N 798908 and it shipped December 31, 1980 per factory Letter.
The other 29-2, s/n 439446, 6-1/2" should be a 1977 per that serial number and SCSW 4th, but Dr. Roy Jinks confirmed a ship date of May 1979. Gun pointing to left should be correct for 1977 but even though the gun may have sat in the vault for 2 years, I believe the case may be of 1979 vintage.
Attachments
Maybe jcelect will stop by. He's touched a bunch of boxes doing restorations.
I’ve seen several type joints and two boxes with the type in this picture. I talked with Jcelect and he had seen a couple like it also. I think when Smith made the boxes, several variations came. I’m sure Jcelect can add some more. There could be a book on boxes and cases as big as the Standard Catalog! Thanks for the pictures of variations. Always interesting.
Attachments
Last edited:
I would be one of the first in line to purchase a book on Smith & Wesson presentation cases!
Last edited:
I have a half dozen S&W mahogany presentation cases, and they all have the box joints. Personally, I've never seen a case without the joints but as we always say, never say never with S&W. As far as the types of liners used, the styles morphed over the years and descriptions can be found in several editions of the "SCSW".
I have three different joint styles in my collection. In addition to the common box joint and the joint similar to the OP, I have one with a very unique joint as pictured below. It caught my eye right away when I first saw/bought it and I sent a note to the resident expert, JCELECT, and he said that he had only seen a few of these over his years of restoration. He’s since restored it and he’ll no doubt be around soon to provide more information.
Attachments
Box Joints
Thank you, series guy, for showing the difference between a box joint and a dove tail joint! I have seen 4 different joints on the S&W cases. The lapped joint, pictured by OP, the box joint picture by series guy, the male/female joint pictured by RT44nut & WV2A, and last is a standard 45 deg mitered joint. Th box joint is, by far, the most common joint used on these cases. The others I have seen a few, enough to validate they were S&Ws. You may ask, "which is the best"? I have repaired them all because the glue did not hold over the last 50-60 years. In this application there is not a best one!
jcelect
Thank you, series guy, for showing the difference between a box joint and a dove tail joint! I have seen 4 different joints on the S&W cases. The lapped joint, pictured by OP, the box joint picture by series guy, the male/female joint pictured by RT44nut & WV2A, and last is a standard 45 deg mitered joint. Th box joint is, by far, the most common joint used on these cases. The others I have seen a few, enough to validate they were S&Ws. You may ask, "which is the best"? I have repaired them all because the glue did not hold over the last 50-60 years. In this application there is not a best one!
jcelect
Thank you Joe. I was waiting for this. You should be the guy that writes the book on these cases. You've done a couple for me and you certainly know your stuff.
RT44nut’s photo shows a joint known as a “drawer front joint”.
