GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
EXTREMELY RARE CASED SET OF FACTORY ENGRAVED SMITH & WESSON NO. 2 ARMY TIP-UP REVOLVERS. SMITH & WESSON #2 ARMY CASED PAIR 75381/76487 32 RF IVORY Cal. 32 RF. Both revolvers are identical, blue and silver finish with 5" oct ribbed bbls, German silver front sights with 1-line address on ribs. Top straps are 3-pin style with cyl stops and rear sight. Both are mounted with 2-pc smooth rosewood grips, matching numbered to their respective revolvers. Both revolvers have assembly numbers on left side of their grip frames, under the grips, with matching assembly numbers on rear faces of bbl lugs and front faces of cyls. Revolvers are nearly identically engraved with extremely fine, intertwined foliate arabesque patterns that have fine pearled background. Frames have full coverage on the sides with matching patterns on the backstraps and buttstraps. Matching patterns extend onto the bbl lugs and side flats at the muzzles. Top front flats of the frames and rear top flats of bbls are also beautifully engraved. Cyls are engraved with a full band of matching foliate arabesque patterns around the patent dates in the center. Accompanied by an incredible, blue velvet lined mahogany casing that is recessed for the two revolvers and a rosewood handled brass cleaning rod. There are 5 covered compartments with "certified antique ivory" pulls containing a small bottle of oil, a functioning key, and 9 cal 32 rimfire cartridges. These revolvers are accompanied by a factory letter which confirms they were among a 50-unit shipment of Model No. 2 Army’s in January 1871 to M. W. Robinson of New York City, S&W’s largest distributor of the late 19th & early 20th Century. The letter states this shipment consisted of a variety of finishes and barrel lengths and that 10 of the 50 were engraved, 2 of which had a “plated breech” (frame), which conclusively identifies this pair of revolvers as being factory engraved. Throughout the U.S. and around the world, both during the Civil War and in the last half of the 19th Century, many soldiers and, famous and not so famous personages, made great use of the S&W No. 2 Army as they’re arm of personal protection, such as Wild Bill Hickok who was found to have been carrying a No. 2 Army on the night he was killed in 1874. Rarely does one find an engraved No. 2 Army, let alone a matched set and especially housed in an incredible case. This is one of the finest sets of Smith & Wesson No. 2 Army Revolvers come to market in recent years CONDITION: Revolvers are virtually identical, all matching and in very fine to extremely fine condition. They retain about 95% glossy orig blue on the bbls with the losses from flaking, not wear. Frames retain virtually all of their strong orig silver finish, slightly thin on the backstrap of #75381. Triggers and hammers show dark case colors. Cyls retain virtually all of their strong orig blue, slightly lighter on the cyl of #75381. Grips are all extremely fine plus, with sharp edges and 99% plus orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp. Strong bright bores with some light roughness. Case is sound with some minor handling and storage nicks and scratches and retains about 97-98% orig finish. Interior is lightly faded with light soil. Other accessories are fine. 49654-5 JR (25,000-40,000)