S&W End Labels-Are Any of these Phony??

[haris1]

Hello fellow collectors. I have 3 "boxed" revolvers that I wonder if the boxes are correct only in the sense the labels just stick out as if something is wrong. Any and all input is appreciated. Hopefully, Brewster wont butt in and tell me to
redirect the 66-3 to 1980 to the present!!!Actually that box looks more suspect since the two piece box probably was not used then but maybe since there were overlaps.
Thank you .

The yellowed one looks more correct and the two white ones just dont look right. They just look too white for 30-35 year old boxes. The bottom one looks especially suspect due to the writing.


More Box pics that I think are probably "faked"



the 66 label looks wring because its way too white. the ink must have contacted something to look so wierd but look at the & in smith and wesson
Its in the wrong place!! I have never seen the "&" so off center



The 58 with the S prefix looks wrong since all the printing is so bold. I have nothing with such a bold font.
Has anyone?


What is strange about the 19 label is that there is a smith and wesson logo on it. Anyone have a box like that>



The "smith and wesson" looks very strange as far as the font and the label just looks way too white for its age

 

[Club Gun Fan]

IMO, both of the 66 labels are fake. The handwritting on both were done by one person. The inspector would have singed in their own hand, as would the packer. The label on the bottom 66 is a joke.

 

[CDROBERTS]

Middle one is real. Top and bottom are fakes.

I have no problem whatsoever with anyone making a buck, or a LOT of bucks selling these guns, but I have a BIG problem with misrepresenting something for a buck. I hope someone didn't do that to you.

These fake labels are all over ebay.

 

[Gunhacker]

The one on the bottom is especially laughable... if you look closely at the LH edge, you can what appears to be the lines on the LH edge of the original label underneath.

But there are also people out there that are so good at it that they artificially age the labels, so a "yellowed" label isn't always indicative of a genuine one either.

 

[Hapworth]

Agreed, top and bottom stand out as fake, bottom one especially -- actually lists "jeweled" as a special feature, and looks like it's imperfectly over another sticker.

And fake "aging" is its own art, too.

This is on the uptick by my estimation and has taken virtually all interest out of looking for pieces with "original, numbered" boxes.

Maybe the proliferation of forgeries will drive prices down a little as astute buyers refuse to pay extra for things so easily faked; then again, maybe not -- hasn't stopped skyrocketing Colt prices, which is where S&W seems headed.

 

[VM]

one out of three aint bad.
agree w/ others that middle is only real one

 

[gmborkovic]

I worked for a S&W dist. and several dealers in the late 60s and early 70s.
I use to check in the boxes in the warehouse and check the Sn. against the factory invoice. I dont remember the end labels ever being perfectly centered on the end of the box. Sometimes the label was on so crooked it sealed the bottom to the top of the box. We later opened every box and entered the Sn from the butt to the FFL log book. You sold a gun and threw the box in the dumpster.
I saved the SATs and cleaning stuff. Mike 2796

 

[haris1]

handwriting

If there is an inspector and a packer, is the rest of the label in a third handwriting or just two in total?

 

[scott1970]

Although not about S&Ws, I know a man who purposefully seeks out nice Pythons with no boxes. He hammers the seller over the lack of a box. If he gets it he promptly orders a "correct" box which includes everything the gun would have originally contained. Then he works on aging the box based on the age of the Python.

The person he gets these forged boxes/papers from does fantastic work. The guy I know who buys these for his Pythons brags that it drives up the value of his Pythons by several hundred bucks because they are now correct to the point another buyer wouldn't know.

 

[wetdog]

I agree on the fakes of the three, but I'll not be educating anyone as to what I see.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

I agree on the fakes of the three, but I'll not be educating anyone as to what I see.

Why?
I have no problem helping someone.

 

[sophie]

I agree with the above posters. The top box and the bottom box look like reproductions. The middle one looks legitimate.

 

[Hapworth]

Why?
I have no problem helping someone.

I think wetdog's implying that to point out the flaws in the forgeries helps forgers improve their skill.

Real forgers already know what they're doing; idiot forgers will keep putting out lousy attempts no matter what.

 

[gumpys]

Hello fellow collectors. I have 3 "boxed" revolvers that I wonder if the boxes are correct only in the sense the labels just stick out as if something is wrong. Any and all input is appreciated. Hopefully, Brewster wont butt in and tell me to
redirect the 66-3 to 1980 to the present!!!Actually that box looks more suspect since the two piece box probably was not used then but maybe since there were overlaps.
Thank you .

The yellowed one looks more correct and the two white ones just dont look right. They just look too white for 30-35 year old boxes. The bottom one looks especially suspect due to the writing.

The two 66 end label's are 100 percent fake, no doubt about it.

Eric

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

I have never seen a S&W that shipped with a Jeweled Hammer or Trigger...

 

[handejector]

one out of three aint bad.

Meatloaf would not accept that.

 

[gumpys]

Meatloaf would not accept that.

Lmfao.

Eric

 

[ibewbull]

As far as I am concerned the box adds zero value.
As stated too many fakes.
Now a presentation case may add a bit.
Each to his own.
There is a 1999 Ford LTD down the road form me for $65,000 has the window sticker and a case of old Point Special beer in the trunk. Is it worth it?

 

[wetdog]

I think wetdog's implying that to point out the flaws in the forgeries helps forgers improve their skill.

Real forgers already know what they're doing; idiot forgers will keep putting out lousy attempts no matter what.

Thanks Hapworth, That's what I meant. Reading it over I should have worded it better.

 

[MrTrolleyguy]

Although not about S&Ws, I know a man who purposefully seeks out nice Pythons with no boxes. He hammers the seller over the lack of a box. If he gets it he promptly orders a "correct" box which includes everything the gun would have originally contained. Then he works on aging the box based on the age of the Python.

The person he gets these forged boxes/papers from does fantastic work. The guy I know who buys these for his Pythons brags that it drives up the value of his Pythons by several hundred bucks because they are now correct to the point another buyer wouldn't know.

Your inbox will now fill up with request for you to share the name. Just between you and me. How about his Gunbocker moniker, just that.

You can just PM me, save you a trip to the in box.

You can't put that out there and not tells a few of us (privately).