Page 108 - 4090-BOOK3

LOT 3173
Rare and
Documented
Early Production Serial
Number 28 “Oil Hole” Smith & Wesson No. 3 First Model American Single Action Revolver with Rare 7 Inch Barrel and Factory Letter - Serial no. 28, 44
S&W American cal., 7 inch solid rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured from 1870 to 1872, this is a very early production Smith & Wesson No. 3, 1st
Model American revolver with a low two digit serial number (“28”), and is one
of approximately 8,000 revolvers. The No. 3, 1st Model American revolver was manufactured
with a standard 8 inch
barrel with 6 inch and 7 inch barrels being less common. This example has the rare 7 inch barrel, one of approximately 50-70 manufactured.
LOT 3175
Russian Military Contract Ludwig
Loewe & Company No. 3 Russian 3rd
Model Single Action Revolver - Serial no. 74267, 44 S&W
Russian cal., 6 1/2 inch solid rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Production
of these revolvers started as early as 1876 when the Russians decided to
move No. 3 Russian revolver production from S&W in America to Ludwig Loewe in
Berlin. Revolvers produced in Germany didn’t need transatlantic shipment, so the
supply of revolvers was less likely to be disrupted. In addition, S&W had also angered
the Russians by selling arms to Turkey and Japan, enemies of Imperial Russia. The barrel
rib has the Ludwig Loewe Cyrillic marking followed by the serial number, the double headed
Russian eagle, “L” and circled “II.” The left side of the frame has the Russian “1874” marking. The cylinder
is numbered to the gun and is marked with the letter “P” and circled “II”.
CONDITION: Very good as a revolver that saw service with the Imperial Russian military, retaining traces of original blue finish in the protected areas, otherwise a smooth gray patina associated with a well traveled sidearm. The grips are very fine with some minor handling marks. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
LOT 3176
Documented Smith & Wesson No. 3
Russian 3rd Model Commercial Variation Single Action
Revolver with Factory Letter - Serial no. 49641, 44 S&W Russian cal., 6
1/2 inch solid rib bbl., nickel finish, pearl grips. The accompanying factory
letter states the revolver was shipped on July 31, 1877 to M.W. Robinson of New
York City with a 6 1/2 inch barrel, nickel finish, and smooth walnut grips. Included
in the shipment were 40 guns of this model in blue and 20 guns in nickel. The
revolver wears a set of period period grips. As noted in the factory letter, “The
pearl grips would have been added by Mr. Robinson Company to fill a special
order.” The barrel rib legend ends with “RUSSIAN MODEL.” The right side of the
ejector housing is hand marked “C.C.C[illegible].” Matching assembly numbers
appear on the grip frame, cylinder, barrel, and barrel latch.
CONDITION: Fine, retaining 60% original nickel finish with a series of scratches on
the left side of the frame and extensive scattered dark pitting demonstrating that this revolver had a long service life in a challenging environment. The oversize period replacement grips are also fine with a few age lines. The cylinder does not lock properly, otherwise action functions
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
LOT 3177
Fine Smith & Wesson New
Model No. 3 Single Action Target Revolver with Very Scarce 8 Inch
Barrel - Serial no. 33787, 44 S&W Russian cal., 8 inch solid rib bbl., blue
finish, walnut grips. In 1878 S&W introduced the New Model No. 3, and it was an
instant success. Its design drew on handling and mechanical improvements from
its popular predecessors, the American, Russian and Schofield models, and spawned a
series of wide ranging variations. All frames for these revolvers were manufactured prior to 1899, which
makes the gun an antique, but they were cataloged into the early 1900s. The revolver has the scarce
8 inch barrel and 1 7/16 inch cylinder. The barrel rib has the one-line address. The grips are checkered
walnut. The barrel is stamped with the number “4.” Unnumbered grips with the back of the right panel hand marked with the initials “AG.” The matching serial number appears on the butt, cylinder, and barrel latch. CONDITION: Fine. The barrel and frame retain 40% original blue finish with a smooth brown patina on the balance. The cylinder retains traces of original blue finish in the flutes with a smooth brown-gray patina on the balance. Slight patterns of original case colors remain on the hammer and trigger guard. The grips are also fine with minor handling marks and some wear along the tops of the overall well defined checkering.
Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK SMITH & WESSON REVOLVERS BY PARSONS
The included factory letter
confirms the 7 inch barrel, .44 S&W American caliber, blue finish, and smooth walnut grips. The revolver was shipped to Smith & Wesson’s largest distributor, M.W. Robinson of New York City, as part of a 25 gun shipment on October 26, 1870. The revolver correctly has a vent hole (oil hole) in the rear extractor housing under barrel that was featured on the first 1,500 revolvers. The top of the barrel rib is stamped
“SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS. U.S.A. PAT. JULY 10. 60. JAN. 17. FEB. 17. JULY 11. 65 & AUG. 24. 69” flanked by Maltese crosses. Pinned blade front and notch rear sights. The serial number is stamped on the butt with the assembly number “8A” stamped on the rear cylinder face, barrel latch and barrel. The right grip panel is numbered to the gun with the backs of both grips hand marked “PXM”. The revolver is pictured in John Parsons’ “Smith & Wesson Revolvers” on page 76.
CONDITION: Good. The revolver has a mottled gray patina with some scattered minor pitting. The firing pin on the hammer has been polished. The grips are fair showing wear consistent to the rest of the revolver with some overall pressure dents and scratches. Mechanically excellent. Overall a rare possibly first day production Smith & Wesson No. 3 American.
Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
LOT 3174
Early Production Two Digit Serial Number 96 Smith & Wesson
New Model No. 3 Single Action Revolver - Serial no. 96, 44 S&W
Russian cal., 6 1/2 inch solid rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. In 1878
S&W introduced the New Model No. 3, and it was an instant success. Its design
drew on handling and mechanical improvements from its popular predecessors,
the American, Russian and Schofield models, and spawned a series of wide ranging
variations, including a target model that dominated target competition in the late 19th century. For many gun historians, the New Model No. 3 was simply the finest single action
revolver design of the 19th century, easily beating out the Colt SAA for the top spot. All frames for these revolvers were manufactured prior to 1899, which makes the gun an antique, but they were cataloged into the early 1900s . The New Model 3 serial number range is 1 to 35796, with this example, no. 96, being one of the first 100 S&W manufactured. The revolver has 1 7/16 inch cylinder, the two-line S&W address/
patent dates marking on the barrel rib, and checkered walnut grips. The
cylinder is unnumbered. Matching serial number “96” appears on the butt,
right grip panel, barrel, and barrel latch.
CONDITION: Fine. The barrel and frame retains 40% original blue finish with
a smooth brown patina on the balance. The cylinder retains 30% original blue finish mostly in the flutes with a smooth brown-gray patina on the balance. Traces of original case colors remain on the hammer and trigger guard. The grips are very good with minor handling marks and some wear and moderately worn checkering. Mechanically excellent. As one of the first 100 manufactured, New Model No. 3 revolver serial no. 96 is a must have for the serious S&W collector.
106 Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000