Page 194 - 4095-BOOK1

LOT 187
Exceptional Smith & Wesson No. 3 “American” Second Model Single
Action Revolver - Serial no. 23854, 44 S&W American cal., 8 inch solid rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips.
Manufactured c. 1872-1874, this is an exceptionally fine example of one of 20,735 No. 3 “American”
Second Model revolvers produced by Smith & Wesson. Much like their Single Action Army competitors from Colt, these No. 3 revolvers
often saw hard use in the American West, leaving very few high condition examples like this one available on today’s collectors market.
While showing signs of honest use, this particular “American” remains in remarkably high condition considering the environment and use it likely saw.
Though never as popular as Colt’s offering, these Smith & Wesson “Americans” were still favored by some on the frontier, including “Buffalo Bill” Cody and
Wyatt Earp. The top of the barrel rib is marked with the standard one line address and patent dates, ending with “69”, and flanked by Maltese crosses. The
matching serial number is marked on the butt and stamped inside the right grip panel. The matching assembly number “719” is marked on the right of the grip frame at the heel, rear
face of the cylinder, and on the cylinder latch. It is fitted with a pinned steel blade front sight, notch rear sight on top of the cylinder latch, and a pair of smooth walnut grips.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, retains 80% plus of the original blue finish, showing some honest mild handling wear, some scattered light flaking, and some minor scratches/dings concentrated on
the sideplate and near the trigger pin. 90% plus of the vibrant original case colors remain on the hammer, with the trigger guard showing slightly more muted colors. The grips are very fine with a few
scattered minor scratches and dings. Mechanically excellent. These Smith & Wesson “Americans” are difficult to find in high condition like this example!
Provenance: The Cam & Deb Cooper Collection.
Estimate: 6,000 - 8,000
LOT 186
Very Fine U.S. Smith & Wesson No. 3 First Model Schofield Single
Action Revolver with Factory Letter - Serial no. 1313, 45 S&W Schofield cal., 7 inch
solid rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1875, this is a fine example of a U.S.
contract First Model Schofield single action revolver. The included
factory letter confirms the current configuration and shipment to
the National Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts on 12 July 1875.
Of the 3,035 First Model Schofields produced, almost all of them were
purchased by the U.S. government, though some reportedly ended
up in civilian hands, including the notorious Frank and Jesse James, as
well as George Custer’s chief scout, “Lonesome Charley”. Many of these
Schofields purchased by the government were issued to the 4th Cavalry Regiment, seeing service in the Geronimo
Campaign, as well as to the famous 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments, known as the “Buffalo Soldiers” seeing service in the
Southwest. The majority of these revolvers saw hard use in the hands of U.S. cavalry troopers on the American frontier,
with many of those that survived purchased as surplus and altered by Wells Fargo & Co., leaving very few examples for
collectors in high condition like this one. This example has the distinctive First Model Schofield features, which are the
barrel catch attached to the frame rather than the top strap, the gracefully shaped frame, shorter ejector housing, and the “US” marking at the toe of the butt, rather
than the heel like the later Second Models. The left side of the ejector housing is marked with the two-line Smith & Wesson address and patent dates ending with “71” and flanked by Maltese
crosses. This early production example correctly lacks the “73” patent date which is seen on those manufactured later. The right side of the ejector housing is marked with Schofield’s patent date in one line, flanked by Maltese
crosses. “US” is marked on the toe of the butt. The matching serial number, “1313”, is marked on the butt, rear face of the cylinder, and inside the right grip panel. There are some faint, hand-scratched, illegible markings on the butt
near the serial number. The left grip panel has the boxed “SBL” inspection cartouche, and the right grip panel has three “kill notches” near the rear lower edge along the back strap. It is fitted with a pinned blade front sight fitted in
the groove that runs the entire length of the rib and a fixed notch rear sight in the barrel latch.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 75% of the original blue finish with some brown and grey patina in the form of handling/holster wear, some light pitting around the muzzle, and light handling marks overall. Strong traces of the
vibrant original case colors remain on the hammer. The grips are fine, showing an old re-varnish, some mild scratches and dings, and a visible cartouche. Mechanically excellent. These First Model Schofields are highly prized by
collectors and are rarely found in this condition due to hard use by the U.S. Cavalry and others after. This example would easily rank among the top quarter of known examples!
Estimate: 9,500 - 15,000
192