Page 328 - 4095-BOOK1

326
LOT 345
Outstanding and
Very Scarce Smith
& Wesson Model
12-2 Airweight
French Police “Side
Safety” Double
Action Revolver
with Original Box
and Factory Letter
- Serial no. C819133,
38 Special cal., 3 inch
solid rib bbl., blue/
black anodized finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1967. Supica and
Nahas note in “Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson” that only around 12 to
18 of these French Police “Side Safety” variations are known to exist in the
United States and that they are identified by the safety latch mounted on
the sideplate on the right of the frame. These few examples made it to the
American market due to a production overrun of a French contract order
and are found in both 2 inch and 3 inch barrel variations. The included
factory letter lists the revolver with 3 inch barrel, blue finish, and checkered
walnut grips when it was shipped on 14 October 1967, to Alan Litman, the
owner of General Ordnance Co. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who invented chemical mace
and the Startron electronic surveillance equipment. It has the standard Smith & Wesson markings, a ramp blade front sight, a
frame-top groove rear sight, the noted safety latch on the right, and a pair of checkered walnut grips with “S&W” monogram
medallions. Includes the original factory box and copies of the original invoice and packing list for the revolver.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 99% plus of the original blue and black anodized finishes, 99% plus of the vibrant original
case colors on the hammer and trigger, and only the slightest handling evidence and a faint cylinder turn line. The grips are
also excellent with only the slightest handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. The box is very fine with
some light corner wear. A very scarce French Police “Side Safety” variation of the Smith & Wesson Model 12-2 in outstanding
condition!
Estimate: 2,500 - 3,750
Collector’s Fact
According to "Standard
Catalog of Smith & Wesson"
by Supica and Nahas, between
12 and 18 Smith & Wesson
"French Police" variations are
in the United States.
LOT 346
Very Fine Nickel
Smith & Wesson K-32
Masterpiece “Pre-
Model 16” Double
Action Revolver
with Box - Serial no.
K2143, 32 S&W Long
cal., 6 inch solid rib
bbl., nickel finish,
walnut grips.
Manufactured c.
1948. Roy Jinks
notes that only
3,630 of these
revolvers were
made over the 26
year production
period, and we
have observed
very few examples
with nickel finish. Jinks notes in the included letter that this very
revolver was the first serial number of the new post-war K-32
Masterpiece series, and was originally assigned to the company’s
sales department on 30 March 1948 as a display model and had a blue
finish. The revolver was returned to the manufacturing department on 3
May 1949 and nickel plated to fill a special order from Leacock Sporting Goods Co. The revolver was
then shipped to Leacock Sporting Goods Co. in St. Louis on 26 May 1949, the first post-war nickel
finished K-32, and is noted as having a 6 inch barrel, nickel finish, and checkered walnut grips. It has
the standard Smith & Wesson markings. The matching serial number is on the butt, bottom of the
barrel, and rear face of the cylinder. The matching assembly number is on the frame and crane. It is
fitted with a ramped Patridge blade front sight, adjustable notch rear sight, and a pair of checkered
walnut grips with “S&W” monogram medallions (right panel numbered “57923”). Includes a period
correct factory box with end label matching the configuration of the revolver when it was in the
possession of the Smith & Wesson sales department.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 98% plus of the factory applied nickel plating with some scattered
slight scratches and a cylinder turn line. The grips are also very fine with a few scattered light
handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. The box is very fine with some mild
edge/corner wear.
Provenance: The Michael Priwer Collection.
Estimate: 6,000 - 8,000
LOT 347
Desirable Smith
& Wesson
K-22 Combat
Masterpiece
(“Pre-Model
18”) Double
Action Revolver
with Very Scarce
Nickel Finish -
Serial no. K214835, 22 LR cal., 4 inch solid rib bbl., nickel finish, walnut grips.
Manufactured in 1954. Though they do not confirm the specific number of nickel K-22 Combat
Masterpieces produced, Supica and Nahas note the rarity and desirability of them on the collector’s
market. This example has the standard Smith & Wesson markings throughout and is fitted with a
pinned, ramped, blade front sight, micrometer adjustable notch rear sight, and a pair of diamond
pattern checkered walnut grips with “S&W” monogram medallions at the tops. Includes an
unnumbered/unlabeled later production replacement factory box.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine with 97% plus of the original nickel, some slight frosting, scattered
light scratches, and a cylinder turn line. The grips are excellent with only the slightest handling
marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. The box is very fine with some light corner
wear.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
LOT 344
Exceptional Smith & Wesson K-32 “Combat”
Masterpiece “Pre-Model 16” Double Action
Revolver with Scarce Documented 4 Inch
Barrel, Original Box, and Factory Letter -
Serial no. K68510, 32 S&W Long cal., 4 inch solid
rib bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured
in 1949, this is an exceptional example of Smith
& Wesson K-32 “Combat” Masterpiece revolver.
These scarce revolvers are briefly mentioned
in “Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson” by
Supica and Nahas, where they say a “limited
run of 4” barrels in 1949 have been reported as a K-32 Combat Masterpiece; may
bring four to five times regular value.” The K-32 Masterpiece is already a scarce revolver, being
produced in limited numbers from 1946 until 1974, but in their standard configuration they
had a 6 inch barrel, not a 4 inch barrel like this rare example. The included factory letter states
that this revolver was shipped to B.W. Folsom of Warren, Ohio on 4 March 1949. It additionally
notes that 10 K-32 Masterpiece revolvers with 4 inch barrels and blue finish were in that
particular sale, which was to Canton Hardware Co. in Canton, Ohio, who was a large distributor
for Smith & Wesson at the time. It is believed that these ten 4 inch barreled K-32s were the
only ones produced apart from two others made in 1951. The left side of the scarce 4 inch
barrel has the Smith & Wesson marking, the caliber marking on the right, and the earlier style
narrow rib on top. The right side of the frame has the large Smith & Wesson trademark on the
sideplate and the four-line address on the frame. The matching serial number is on the butt,
rear face of the cylinder, and on the bottom of the barrel. The matching assembly number
is on the frame and crane. It is fitted with a ramped Patridge blade front sight, micrometer click
adjustable notch rear sight, and a pair of checkered walnut grips with Smith & Wesson monogram medallions. Includes the
original gold box.
CONDITION: Excellent, retains 98% plus of the original blue finish with only the slightest handling marks and a light cylinder
turn line. The grips are also excellent with only the slightest handling marks. Mechanically excellent. This is an exceptional
example of one of as few as 12 of these 4 inch barreled Smith & Wesson K-32 “Combat” Masterpiece revolvers!
Provenance: The Michael Priwer Collection.
Estimate: 6,500 - 8,500
Collector’s Fact
According to Smith & Wesson
Historian Roy Jinks, only 3,630
Smith & Wesson K-32 Masterpiece
revolvers were produced.