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LOT 575
Extremely Rare, Documented Nickel Plated Indianapolis Police Shipped Smith
& Wesson .357 Registered Magnum Double Action Revolver with 5 Inch Barrel and Factory
Letter - Serial no. 58904, 357 magnum cal., 5 inch solid rib bbl., nickel finish, walnut grips. The accompanying factory letter states the revolver was shipped on July 13, 1939 and delivered to Training
Division, Police Department, City of Indianapolis, attn. Lt. E.H. Kruse, Director, Training Division
with a 5 inch barrel, 1/8 inch Baughman quick draw front sight, 1/8 inch square notch rear sight, nickel finish, Magna stocks, and a humpback hammer. This order, personally handled by Sales Manager Cy Bassett, was for 15 units which had the registration numbers 4861-4875. The registration number of this revolver is “4862.” (RIAC sold Reg. 4865 in the
One of only 869 Registered Magnums produced with a 5 inch barrel, and 1 of only 144 with a nickel finish.
August 2022 Premier Auction #86, lot 1586.) The revolver’s configuration and delivery are again confirmed in the included
S&W invoice, S&W order form, and Lt. E.H. Kruse’s request on City of Indianapolis letterhead addressed to S&W. it is one of
only 869 Registered Magnums manufactured with a 5 inch barrel and is one of only 144 that left the factory with a nickel
finish. The S&W factory rework star is stamped on the grip frame, crane, and ejector shroud. “12369,” a possible factory return
date (December 3, 1969), is stamped on the grip frame. The right grip panel is numbered to another gun. Matching serial numbers are on the butt, cylinder, and ejector shroud. CONDITION: Very fine retaining 98% plus of the S&W factory nickel plating with a light cylinder drag line and some scattered handling marks. The replacement grips are excellent with crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Dave Ballantyne Collection.
Estimate: 7,500 - 9,500
LOT 576
Incredibly Rare State of Kansas Shipped
Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum Transitional Post-War
Double Action Revolver with Factory Letter - Serial no. S71116,
357 magnum cal., 5 inch solid rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. This is one of only about
142 .357 Magnum transitional post-war revolvers in all barrel lengths manufactured by S&W from late 1946 to 1949. These revolvers were similar in appearance to their pre-war counterparts but with
a new micrometer rear sight and a “S” prefix serial number, and a vast majority were ordered by law
enforcement agencies, like this example which was ordered by the State of Kansas. As confirmed by the
included factory letter, the revolver was shipped on December 23, 1948 and delivered to W.A. Thompson Co. of Topeka, Kansas, with a 5 inch barrel, blue finish, an checkered walnut grips. As noted in the factory letter, “This
One of only 142 .357 Magnum Transitional Post-War revolvers produced.
shipment was for 50 units for the State of Kansas [Highway Patrol].” Matching serial numbers appear on the butt, cylinder,
and ejector shroud.
CONDITION: Very fine as a law enforcement procured revolver displaying authentic wear and tear of spending a lifetime in the line of duty, retaining 85% original blue finish with holster wear and grips strap worn gray from spending years in the hand. The very good grips show similar “working gun” character with mostly crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Dave Ballantyne Collection.
Estimate: 6,000 - 8,000
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