GUN SPRING 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.
EXTREMELY RARE ONE OF A KIND SMITH & WESSON MODEL 29-2 DA REVOLVER OWNED AND USED BY LEGENDARY HANDGUNNER AND AUTHOR ELMER KEITH. SMITH & WESSON 29 S317353 44MAG MODERN; C&R; ESA Cal 44 MAG. Smith & Wesson royal blue finish with scarce 5" ribbed bbl, red ramp front & white outline rear sights with bobbed target hammer spur and altered smooth target trigger. Both items obviously altered by Mr. Keith during the period of use. Toe of sideplate is engraved "Elmer Keith". Revolver is mounted with 2-pc ivory grips that have a raised carved steer head on the right side and the initials "E M K" on the left. Both grips are marked on the inside that they were made by "J.M. Evans" of San Jose, CA. Mr. Keith employed Mr. Evans to make grips for many of his handguns so obviously these grips would have been made prior to Mr. Keith's death in 1984, probably shortly after Mr. Keith received this revolver from Smith & Wesson in 1969. Bbl is marked "SMITH & WESSON" on the left and "44 MAGNUM" on the right. Right side of frame has the usual Smith & Wesson address and the sideplate, in addition to Mr. Keith's signature also has the Smith & Wesson trademark. This revolver was gifted to Mr. Keith by Smith & Wesson in August 1969. Accompanied by a Smith & Wesson factory letter which furnishes some historical information on the Model 29 and states that this revolver was shipped August 15, 1969 "and delivered to Elmer Keith, in Salmon, Idaho, a great gun writer and legend in his field". Also accompanying is a copy of the orig invoice for this revolver showing special 5" bbl and engraving ordered. In 1986 this revolver was donated by Mr. Keith's wife & son to benefit the Elmer Keith Museum Foundation and The Outstanding American Handgunner Awards Foundation. Mr. Keith was the very first recipient of the Outstanding American Handgunner Award. Additionally accompanied by a letter dated April 22, 1986 over the signature of Mr. Keith's son, Theodore F. Keith which details the donation information and identifies this revolver by description and SN. Accompanying is a copy of page 27 of March/April 1986 issue of American Handgunner magazine advertising the sealed bid auction for this revolver with pictures of both sides. Also accompanying are copies of the cover and 2 interior pages of the Outstanding American Handgunner Awards magazine, again picturing this revolver and advertising that it will be auctioned. Subsequently Smith & Wesson produced a commemorative copy of this very revolver called The Elmer Keith Commemorative. Also accompanied by a brown leather covered trunk case by Gun Ho with tiger striped cloth lining. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Overall retains about 97-98% crisp, glossy Smith & Wesson royal blue with only a faint cylinder line and slight holster wear at the muzzle. Grips each have a tiny hairline at the frame otherwise are sound with a wonderful, mellow ivory patina. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. 51766-1 JRL (8,000-16,000)