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CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. The barrel/magazine retains 85% of the original brown finish. The brown has developed a very attractive plum patina with slight wear on the muzzle collar and edges of the barrel flats. The barrel markings are crisp. The frame, side-plates, back strap, and trigger have much of the delicate bright blue finish in protected areas (the blue finish on Smith & Wesson
lever action revolvers was extremely fragile; it is very rare for the receivers to show any original finish). The metal surfaces are smooth. The simple but well-executed factory leaf and scroll
engraving is crisp. Three of the four frame screws have some minor screw-driver wear. The bolt retains 40% of the attractive bright original
blue finish. The hammer and finger lever have 30% of the muted
casehardened finish with a plum brown patina. The rosewood grips are
in excellent condition and retain nearly 95% of the original piano finish
with traces of handling wear. This is an exceptional and rare Smith &
Wesson No. 1 Type II Lever Action Repeating pistol, certainly one of the
finest example ever offered for sale by Rock Island Auction Company
and one of the finest extant.
Provenance: The Legendary Mac McCroskie Collection;
Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 25,000 - 37,500
LOT 1026
Extraordinary Factory Engraved Smith & Wesson No. 1 Lever Action Repeating Pistol From the Collection of Mac McCroskie - Serial
no. E37, 31 Volcanic cal., 4 inch part octagon bbl., brown/blue finish, rosewood grips. This Smith & Wesson No. 1 lever action repeating pistol was manufactured in Norwich, Connecticut, c. 1854-55. Total production of the No.1 lever action pistol was approximately 1,200 pieces. This pistol has
the distinctive part-round/part-octagon barrel with integral six-shot magazine, toggle lever with finger hole, and two-piece, bag-shaped grips. The pistol has the “Type II” crowned muzzle, narrow muzzle collar, rounded T-bar magazine lock spring, and flat, “clam-shell” magazine follower. The barrel
has a brass front sight with flattened blade. A fixed rear sight is mounted on the receiver. The receiver, side plates, back strap, and back of the hammer are decorated with the factory open scroll and leaf pattern engraving which was standard on most S&W No.1 pistols. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: “SMITH & WESSON/NORWICH CT.” The right barrel flat is stamped:
“CAST-STEEL” reading toward the receiver. The left flat is roll-stamped: “PATENT/FEB. 14. 1854”. The serial number is stamped on the left side of the grip strap beneath the grip and in the lever cut-out. “37” is stamped on the inside of each grip. All the visible serial numbers match. The letter “F” is stamped on the right side of the loading lever. The barrel and integral magazine have
a brown finish, the receiver, side plates and bolt are blued, and the hammer and lever are color casehardened. The rosewood grips have a high gloss piano finish. Smith & Wesson lever action repeating pistols are rare and historically significant. The toggle lever action, spring-loaded magazine, and self-contained primed cartridge were highly significant developments in the evolution
of repeating firearms. The Smith & Wesson lever action repeating pistols were pioneer arms for both Smith & Wesson and Winchester and are rare and very desirable pistols.