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LOT 1125
Extremely Rare Tiffany & Co. Marked Etched and Gold-Plated Smith & Wesson First Model Schofield Single Action Revolver - Serial no. 2271,
45 S&W Schofield cal., 4 inch solid rib bbl., gold finish, antique ivory grips. Offered here is a Smith & Wesson First Model Schofield revolver originally manufactured in 1876/77 for the U.S. military that was subsequently period embellished by the famed retailer and jeweler Tiffany & Co., New York. The largest group of firearms known to have been decorated by Tiffany was executed for Smith & Wesson during the 1890s. It is interesting to note that, unlike Tiffany-embellished guns done for Colt, all the known examples done for Smith & Wesson were never duplicate models and for the most part were executed on an individual basis. The revolvers were commissioned by D.B. Wesson who was a strong follower and proponent of Tiffany craftsmanship. Tiffany-embellished Smith & Wesson firearms are considered to be a departure from the normal procedure of using only in-house engraving for their displays. Many of these “Tiffany treasures” are documented in R.L. Wilson’s book “Steel Canvas: The Art of American Arms.” This revolver has a near full coverage floral scroll acid etched patterns indicative of the popular art nouveau style of the time. The revolver has the famed retailer stamping “TIFFANY & Co” on the rear cylinder face and butt. The left side of the grip frame has an illegible stamping,
possibly the name of the
individual who did the etching.
The butt of the revolver still retains
the “US” marking, and the left side
of the ejector housing has the
two-line Smith & Wesson address/
patent dates (1865, 1869, and 1871)
marking flanked by Maltese crosses. The
hammer and trigger guard are casehardened,
and the remaining surfaces are plated in gold, including the trigger. The matching serial number is found on the butt, barrel and rear cylinder face and is stamped on the back of both grip panels.
CONDITION: Very fine as period embellished by Tiffany & Co. The revolver retains much of the gold plating with the balance a smooth blended patina with some minor pitting. Strong case colors remain on the hammer and trigger guard. The matching grips are fine with a tiny repaired chip near the bottom and show typical 140 year-old aging. Mechanically excellent. A truly great example of Tiffany & Co. craftsmanship that would be a wonderful addition to any S&W collection.
Estimate: 15,000 - 25,000