4344 OUTSTANDING SMITH & WESSON NO. 3 FIRST MODEL

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 10,000.00 USD
Estimated at 20,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
RUSSIAN NEW YORK ENGRAVED SA REVOLVER. Cal. 44 S&W Russian. S# 12960. Bbl. 8" round with rib and pinned blade semi-circular sight. Six-shot fluted cyl. This special revolver is adorned with generous coverage of New York engraving. Sides of the frame have a vine-type foliate scroll with punch-dot backgrounds and complementing wedges of scroll continuing to the top of the frame, cyl., as well as the breech and muzzle ends of the bbl. Geometric highlights are found on the forward & lower portions of the frame, along with bbl. flats. Bbl. latch area has a sunburst design with checkered sides. Two-piece carved ivory grips are hand-checkered with a raised Mexican eagle & snake on the left panel. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: Smith & Wesson letter signed by historian Roy G. Jinks gives the following information: "We have researched your Smith & Wesson Model # 3 Russian First Model, caliber .44 S&W Russian revolver in company records, which indicate that your handgun, with serial number 12960, was shipped from our factory on September 10, 1872, and was delivered to M. W. Robinson, New York City, Smith & Wesson's largest distributor. The records indicate that this revolver was shipped with an 8" barrel and nickel finish. This revolver is one of the best examples of New York engraving that I have examined. Robinson supplied a lot of engraved guns to the trade. The carved ivory grips are the finest I have ever seen. This is one of the greatest Model 3s in America. (01-24182/DS). ANTIQUE. $20,000-30,000.