I don't see any of that on this one but the sheen of the surface just doesn't seem the same as any of my other old Smiths. That's why I was thinking it has been refinished. There are a couple of rust spots around 1/8" dia but other than that it looked good.
The date will confirm factory work of some kind as well as the star. But refinish codes will confirm a re-finish at the time it went back. I also think it's been refinished by the factory. The satin finish instead of the usual TL bright blue is a factor of the period it went back to the factory.
I suspect it went back in the 1st 10 years after WWI or WWII. That's when re-finishes were returned with the satin blue. Unless bright blue was specifically special ordered, the re-finish will be whatever was the standard finish when it went back.
REFINISH/REWORK DATES AND STAMPINGS:
after 1910 for a return to the factory are 3 or 4 digits depending on the actual date (sometimes 5 or 6) placed on left side of grip frame on the 'toe' stamped vertically or horizontally, and will not match any other stamped #s on the gun. Ex: 3.48 for March 1948, 10.2.57 for Oct 2, 1957, etc.
Sometimes letters in a rectangle or diamond, B (blue), N (nickel), or S (standard/blue) with an R (for refinish), on 'heel' of left side of grip frame. There might also be marks in diamonds like <S> (silver), <G> (gold), or a P (plated) with a circle. In the 1960s period, an S<> on grip frame and under barrel with a rework date meant refinish, standard (blue). Which stamping was used depended on the time frame and service technician working on the gun.
Refinish and date stamp usage is generally accepted to have declined in the early 1960s when most 5 or 6 digit dates have been observed, sporadic use after that, and was eventually eliminated altogether not too long after. Reportedly no date stamps have been observed since 1983. An RE (refinish) in a circle has also been observed as one of the last stampings used.
Photo credit: SebagoSon
Photo credit: Masterpiece.
TO ASCERTAIN THE ORIGINAL FINISH:
B or 'N' stamped or not stamped (only on commercial guns):
ahead of pre war serial #s on the barrel flat (or in shroud),
rear face of yoke,
on rear face of cyl separated from serial #,
behind the extractor star,
and by itself on right side grip frame (only on left side grip frame on post WWII models*), indicates an original Blue finish or an original Nickel finish based upon the corresponding letter.
The absence (more prevalent after 1930) of either the 'B' or 'N' can also indicate that it left the factory nickeled.
*The post war and the 1950s period, was one of much evolution. There was the usual transition when finish code letter stamps waned and frame letter s/n prefixes began.
JMHO 
