Wells Fargo Markings on Schofields

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,


Now that I have a Schofield with these markings, I have become
more interested in learning about them. While looking at other
revolvers for sale, I saw this piece of information:

"The Schofield's can be found with two distinct markings.
H&G marked the right side of barrel with ITALIC lettering
followed by the serial number of the revolver. Bannerman
marked in the same location BUT used block lettering, and
serial number."

Is this information accurate?


Cheers!
Webb

 

[BMur]

Property Markings

I have detailed files on the Express Guns from many of the Express Companies of that Era.

The short answer to your question is NO.

The Distributors did not mark the Schofields in general. That does NOT MEAN THEY DIDN'T MARK OTHER GUNS from smaller contracts. They most definitely did.

The purchasing agents for Wells Fargo and American Express marked them in bulk with line stamps and quickly because they were from large bulk Government auction sales and those same agents were responsible for distributing the Schofields throughout the United States in different districts at a time when robbery was at epidemic levels.

Northern District
Southern District
Eastern District
Western District

This also involved smaller distributors that I have identified in the districts mentioned. The Express records ( Company and Court ) that I have copies of list 45 cal pistols sent to all the districts that I mentioned. Those 45's were the Schofields.

I also have several court records that mention both 38 Colts (Lightning model) and 45cal Smith & Wesson ( Schofield Model) pistols both purchased and Company issued to Company messengers that rode in the Express Cars and guarded valuable cargo. "Extensive files".

Other agents were also armed. Too many to list. Each had an individual title and served a specific Company purpose. Many of those agents being armed is supported by court records that I have copies of.

One such court case questioned why they were permitted to be armed in public. The judge siding with the Company and agent as needing that firearm to guard valuable goods and cargo.

Simple math from those records confirms the numbers purchased as an informed estimate based on who was armed ( From records) and how many employees by individual title also clearly listed in the Express Records. The numbers are astounding by the 1890's.

Sort of like saying we don't know how many uniforms the team actually had because we don't have receipts but we do know there were 24 players! Simple math.

The smaller contracts were Northern and Southern districts. So less guns were sent to those locations.

The larger contracts initially involved the Eastern districts but as robberies increased in the West, That district became the primary supply until the government enacted the death penalty for derailing a train in lieu of robbery. That pretty much ended the robbery epidemic.

There were many contracts initiated by purchasing agents through various Major Distributors. Often those contracts were active at the same time and involved different model pistols etc.

Early contracts were smaller in number but still bulk and when engraved with property company name and number by the various Distributors they were most often engraved elegantly.

Also, most of the Express guns found today are definitely legit. They are not fakes. Very few are fakes by my research and I do not title them fake. I list them as simply Not Proven. The reason I do this is because the Express Companies purchased a HUGE AMOUNT OF GUNS.

It wasn't long ago that your example was listed as a fake because of the oversized number stamps. It was RESEARCH THAT PROVED THEM AUTHENTIC BUT JUST PART of A SMALLER CONTRACT THAT LIKELY WENT TO THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT.



Murph

 

[Books]

Here's an interesting one. An Am. Ex. Co. marked Schofield. Markings are very similar to (but not exactly) a documented DA .38.

Additional Information:

Henry Wells and William Fargo were founders and on the board of directors of American Express.


Books

 

[BMur]

AM EX CO

I have that example in my files Books.

If memory serves that is from an RIA auction.
See photos

It represents a pre-1891 AMERICAN EXPRESS PROPERTY STAMP.

So how do we know it's authentic?

In 1918 all Express Records, firearms, tools and equipment were "turned in" by order of the then President Woodrow Wilson to establish one singular Express Company to support WWI.

The AMERICAN RAILWAY EXPRESS AGENCY which became;

The Railway Express Agency aka REA

How do we know that the Railway Express Agency actually had "all" the Express records?

Because they actually issued upon request historical letters that authenticated antique express guns! I have several copies in my research material.

Unfortunately, as of this date I have never seen an authentic letter for a Schofield revolver. Still looking.

HOWEVER! I have a couple authenticated Colt lightnings that have that stamp on the backstrap that goes back to 1878! Authenticated by REA as both Wells Fargo guns and American Express. So they did in fact have those records!

So that stamp is authentic in type. Often followed by a property number. American Express did not "normally" copy the serial number. The number following the AM EX CO stamp represented that number in the contract. Example 1-400.

Unfortunately American Express very often removed those property stamps so not many surviving examples to research.

Murph

 

[BMur]

Criminal!

The real crime here is the EXPRESS RECORDS that were in the possession of the RAILWAY EXPRESS AGENCY are missing.

They went bankrupt in 1975 and the records went missing for some reason. I suspect foul play since a lot of those company records actually exist regarding Union matters and company policies that I have seen.

However, the old gun records are gone for some criminal reason. Very upsetting. Those records are HUGE! I believe those records contained a lot of information about the Schofield revolvers. Just honestly gets my blood boiling. Why would they toss those?

Murph

 

[bigwagon]

It shouldn't come as a surprise, considering Wells Fargo's recent scandals and other criminal actions!