GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
EXTREMELY RARE FACTORY ENGRAVED WITH GOLD FINISH SMITH & WESSON NEW MODEL NO. 3 SINGLE ACTION TARGET REVOLVER WITH FACTORY LETTER. SMITH & WESSON MODEL 3 28020 44 Cal 44 Russian. Gold finish with 6-1/2" key hole shaped bbl, target front sight & target rear sight as part of the bbl latch. Mounted with 2-pc smooth pearl grips. Revolver is factory engraved with about 50-60% coverage very fine, intertwined foliate arabesque patterns that have pearled background. Matching engraving is found on the top strap, back strap & buttstrap with additional matching engraving on the cylinder lands between the flutes. Accompanied by a Smith & Wesson factory letter which identifies this revolver as a "Special Order Variation" in caliber 44 Russian which was shipped on Nov 5 1892 to James Conlin, no address listed. Records show that it was shipped with a 6-1/2" bbl, gold plated finish, engraved & pearl grips. The letter further states that this revolver was completed with a group of other special revolvers but the invoices are no longer available to provide details. Mr. James S. Conlin was a world famous target shooter who owned a shooting gallery in New York in the 1890s. He was very well known in target shooting circles and competed with some of the top name shooters of that day. This is revolver serial number 28020 is nearly identical to the Annie Oakley presentation gun currently housed at the Autry Museum in CA. A number of Model 3 revolvers in the upper 27000 and lower 28000 serial range where presented to notable shooters and Friends of the Wesson family. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching numbers. Overall retains 60-70% orig gold finish with the balance having flaked to dark metal patina. Trigger guard retains case colors on the sides with the balance turned silver. Hammer retains strong case colors especially on the right side and rear edge. Right grip has a chip at the frame otherwise grips are sound with good fire and color. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. Appears to be unfired. Loss of finish appears to be simply from poor storage. 52347-1 JRL (8,500-10,000)