Page 129 - 4090-BOOK2

Of the 977 Smith & Wesson Model 320 Revolving Rifles produced, only 244 were manufactured with a 20 inch barrel, the rarest of the offered barrel lengths.
LOT 1126
Factory Documented Smith & Wesson Model 320 Revolving Rifle with Very Scarce 20 Inch Barrel and Stock with Factory Letter - Serial no. 461, 320 cal., 20 inch solid rib bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured from 1879 to 1887, the Model 320 Revolving Rifle is one of the rarest Smith & Wesson firearms produced, with a total production of 977. These firearms were serialized from 1 to 977, and out of the 977 manufactured, 224 had the 20 inch barrel. The Model 320 was manufactured in three barrel lengths of 16, 18, and 20 inches with
20 being the rarest length. The 20 inch barrel has a globe front sight, two leaf rear sight, and two-line address/patent dates rib marking. Matching serial numbers are on the butt, cylinder, barrel and barrel latch. The forearm and grips are matching
checkered mottled hard rubber. The walnut stock features blued attaching hardware and hard rubber S&W buttplate. The accompanying factory letter confirms the 20 inch barrel, blue finish and checkered red and black mottled grips and forearm
as well as being shipped on September 13, 1882, and delivered to M.W. Robinson General Agent, New York City, S&W’s largest distributor of the 19th and early 20th centuries, for the wholesale price of $20.50. CONDITION: Very fine. The barrel and frame retain 85% original blue finish with thinning to brown on the balance. The cylinder retains 40% original blue finish with a smooth brown patina on the balance. The forearm and grips are excellent with overall crisp checkering. The stock is fine with
40% original blue remaining on the attaching iron, a number of minor handling marks on the wood, and minor wear on the buttplate. Mechanically excellent. A very fine example of a desirable 20 inch barrel S&W Model 320 revolving rifle.
Estimate: 11,000 - 16,000
Documented Turkish Contract Smith
& Wesson Russian No. 3 Revolver in Very Scarce .44
Rimfire Henry Photographed in Smith & Wesson 1857-1945 by Neal and Jinks
- Serial no. 356, 44 RF cal., 6 1/2 inch solid rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. This rare S&W
Russian Model .44 Rimfire revolver is pictured and identified in Robert Neal and Roy Jink’s “Smith & Wesson, 1857-
1945” (published 1965, revised 1975) on page 174 where it is cited, then in the Robert N. Nadler Collection, as “one of the 1,000 Rim Fires numbered in their own series and sold to Turkey.” These Turkish contract revolvers were numbered from 1 to 1,000 and used an Old Model Russian frame with the larger
trigger pin which necessitates a bump on the bottom of the frame and a New Model Russian barrel with the larger cylinder retention screw. These rare “Turkish models” saw hard use and when encountered are generally in rough condition. The barrel rib has the one-line S&W legend ending with “RUSSIAN MODEL.” The right grip panel has the number
“3587.”The matching serial number appears on the butt, cylinder, barrel, and barrel latch. CONDITION: Very fine, retaining 98% plus of the high quality pre-World War II factory refinished blue finish (diamond stamp on cylinder face under extractor) with a few minor handling marks. 90% of the case colors remain on the hammer and trigger guard. The grips are
excellent with a few minor handling marks. Mechanically excellent. As one of only 1,000 manufactured, this rare Turkish contract Smith & Wesson Russian No. 3 Rimfire Revolver is often missing from even the most advanced collections. Provenance: The Robert N. Nadler Collection; The Dr.
Gerald Klaz Collection; Property of a Gentleman.
LOT 1127
Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN SMITH & WESSON 1857-1945 REVISED EDITION BY NEAL & JINKS
127