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According to "The Blue Book of Gun Values", only 108 Smith & Wesson Registered Magnum revolvers were produced with a 4-1/2 inch barrel
LOT 1503
Sheriff Rex Sweat
Extremely Rare Nickel Florida Sheriff Shipped Smith & Wesson .357 Registered Magnum Double Action Revolver with Desirable 4 1/2 Inch Barrel, Box and Factory Letter - Serial no. 57164, 357 magnum cal., 4 1/2 inch solid rib bbl., nickel finish, walnut grips. This Registered Magnum (reg. no. 4269) was built with a scarce and desirable 4 1/2 inch barrel. It is one of only 108 Registered Magnums manufactured with a 4 1/2 inch barrel. Short barrel lengths such as 4 1/2 inches were popular with law enforcement as clearly proven on this example as it was delivered to a sheriff in the State of Florida. It also has the highly sought after nickel plated finish. Only 144 Registered Magnums were manufactured with a nickel finish. The accompanying factory letter states the revolver was shipped on December 5, 1938, and delivered to Sheriff Rex Sweat of Jacksonville, Florida, with a Baughman Quick Draw front sight, square notch rear sight, blue finish, humpback hammer, and Magna stocks. In the factory letter S&W historian Roy Jinks stated, “A further check of factory records indicates this was an order of October 14, 1938 of Edward Meyers for Sheriff Rex Sweat and that there were two .357 Magnum guns with nickel finish, four and a half inch barrels. The cost is listed as $43.4 per handgun. These revolvers had Registration Nos. 4269 and 4270.” Matching serial numbers appear on the butt, right grip panel, cylinder, and ejector shroud. With the original S&W factory box (serial number and reg. no. are faint but legible).
Rex Sweat was sheriff of Duval County, Florida, from 1933 to 1957. During his tenure as sheriff, Sweat is credited for successfully fighting organized crime. When he passed away in 1986, the then current Duval County sheriff expressed his gratitude for Sweat’s service record: “He served Duval County very well during the turbulent years of the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. His most important contribution is that he never let organized crime get a foothold in Duval County as it did during those years in much of the state.” Sweat was a World War I veteran who served with the Army in France, and shortly after the war ended, he took a job with the Duval County Road Patrol. In 1933, he was elected sheriff and went on to win re-election five times. A staunch supporter of the death penalty, Sweat administered the execution of nine criminals sentenced to die. In a 1970 interview Sweat said of his role as executioner, “The law clearly made it my duty. It was an unpleasant task, but there was no trace of doubt in my mind that these nine men were guilty.” CONDITION: Excellent as a law enforcement procured handgun, retaining 95% plus of the polished original nickel plating with a cylinder drag line and scattered handling marks. 40% original case colors remain on the hammer and trigger, otherwise faded to gray. The grips are also excellent with minimal handling marks and overall crisp checkering. The box is fine. Mechanically excellent. Provenance: The Michael Kerwood Collection.
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500 401