S&W 34-1 Engraved

[T112-4]

Looking for any help and comments on this one. Thanks in advance, My friend bought this at a recent local auction and sent these pictures. He says it's a 34-1 and he should know where to check for the stamp. Serial number made think on that, must be right around 1957? My comment was you need to get a letter. The left side stamp is normal on this model.

 

[A10]

What a gorgeous little .22! I particularly like that it appears to have been fired and not a safe queen.

The s/n seems early for a 34-1, though I'm not an expert on Jframes. I'm sure someone smarter than me will be along shortly.

I'd probably letter that one. The engraving is pretty enough to have been done at the factory. If it wasn't it would be worth investigating who the engraver was.

 

[22hipower]

If stamped 34-1 it is probably 1966/67. I can't tell if it is factory engraving but RKmesa or one of the other knowledgeable folks may be able to do so. I do like it, especially the design on the side plate. Might check to see if the SN is stamped on the right side grip panel. At first I thought they should be diamond magnas but the timeframe is perhaps right for them to be correct as we see them. Nice little 22.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[rct269]

Based upon my very sparse knowledge of the typical coverage options available from the factory (A-B-C), I'm inclined to bet it's factory---not inclined to bet a whole lot, but enough to make it interesting.

My only apprehension arises from the fact the artist's work at least appears to extend under the grips. That gives me pause.

A letter is most certainly called for, but then I lettered every single gun in my collection. With or without a letter, I sure would like to have a peek under the grips!

Ralph Tremaine

 

[A10]

If Ralph is correct (which is usually the case) then a set of service grips would be pretty cool on that one! They'd probably need to be custom, but for that beauty why not?

 

[JP@AK]

It is clearly a Model 34-1 Kit Gun, built on the J frame (as indicated by the dash 1, as well as the serial number). It dates to no earlier than 1966, when the thumbpiece was changed. I think Jeff's 1966-67 estimate is correct. The non-letter serial numbers only went up to slightly above 135,000 before the M prefix was added in 1969.

The diamond was ordered eliminated on J frame Magna stocks on January 11, 1966. Hence, those stocks could well be original. If so, they will have the serial number impressed into the wood on the inside of the right hand panel.

 

[RKmesa]

Looking for any help and comments on this one. Thanks in advance, My friend bought this at a recent local auction and sent these pictures. He says it's a 34-1 and he should know where to check for the stamp. Serial number made think on that, must be right around 1957? My comment was you need to get a letter. The left side stamp is normal on this model.

What a fun little Kit Gun!!! I like the engraving, but I would be very surprised if it letters as factory engraved. While I like the engraving style and pattern, to me it does not look consistent with the work of any of the factory engravers of that era (late 1950s through 1960s). I do not recall seeing the significant use of dot punching as a border (except sometimes on the top strap), yet on this gun it is used inside an already engraved line border around the Made in USA roll mark and bordering the engraving on the frame beteeen the barrel and the cylinder (also with a line outside the dot punch border). In addition, I have never seen a "double eyebrow" (my description) with dot punches over the hash engraved "brows" on the cylinder over the locking notches. Interesting, but very distinct and something I don't think I have ever seen before.

I do not recognize the work to be that of any of the aftermarket engravers that I know. Like Ralph, I would love to see under the grips, under the Thumb Release and anywhere else that the engraver may have placed his/her mark.

Once again, a very fun piece.

My $0.02 and thank you very much for sharing,

 

[rct269]

Well, so much for my "sparse knowledge"!!

Now we have some knowledge WAY beyond "sparse"!!

Ralph Tremaine

 

[bobsguns]

Looking for any help and comments on this one. Thanks in advance, My friend bought this at a recent local auction and sent these pictures.

Did he mention the buying price?

That's a super tasteful job on the engraving, IMO.

 

[colt_saa]

While this is a very nice looking engraved revolver, and I would probably buy it for myself if it popped up on my radar, I would venture to say this is not a factory engraved revolver

It is not only the usage of the dots inside of existing borders that caught my eye, but the borders themselves

If you look at the line borders that are around the cylinder flutes you will notice that they are not always straight and that the curves around the flutes are not always graceful. The image of the right side is where this caught my eye initially regarding the cylinder. Similarly at the front left side of the trigger guard the lines don't look like they meet, at least in this image.

I would expect a factory engraved revolver to be better than that.

But that is me being overly critical, at a casual glance and at arms length this looks very nice

I too would like to see the frame of this revolver with the grips off

 

[Model19man]

I second the notion of "Get a letter" and then you know what to do next.

 

[handejector]

Definitely not Factory engraving.