2425 PERSONAL S&W MODEL 37 AIRWEIGHT CHIEFS SPECIAL

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 1,500.00 USD
Estimated at 3,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
REVOLVER W/ BOX OF LAUDED FBI SPECIAL AGENT JOSEPH PALGUTA. Cal. 38 Spl. S# 156820. Bbl. 1 7/8” pinned w/ serrated ramped blade; frame notched rear. Mfg. Approx. 1959 w/ early serrated flat cyl. release latch. Black alloy frame w/ blued bbl. (matching numbered) & cyl. (matching numbered extractor). Square butt J frame w/ matching numbered diamond center checkered walnut Magna grips having silver medallions plus black plastic S&W grip adaptor. Standard grooved faced trigger & checkered hammer; both case colored. Special Agent Palguta, under former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, was instrumental in capturing US-Russian Spy Nelson Cornelius Drummond who was the 1st black American tried double agent of the Cold War era. Pagulta also was commended for the services he provided in connection with the Soviet spy Julius Rosenberg espionage case. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: near excellent 2 piece blue box w/ reinforced corners & label indicating “38 Chiefs Special Airweight Square Butt” plus “Blued” & “2 Inch”. Within box is NOX-RUST WRAPPER plus uncompleted warranty card except for S# & dealer info; factory printed April 15, 1955. Original bill of sale from Charles Greenblatt Police Equipment of New York, NY dated May 26, 1959 to Special Agent Joseph J. Palguta - FBI further listing his height, weight & age of 45; $53.61 less 3% discount yielding $55.21. Very good Bianchi brown leather clamshell shoulder holster & Bianchi Colt Det. #5 belt loop holster w/ retaining strap plus basket weave design. EXTRA SPECIAL AGENT ITEMS: nickeled Model 90 S&W handcuffs mfg. 1952-1979 numbered 61818; no key. Framed Hoover (1st FBI Director; 1935-1972) inscribed & autographed 1958 photo to agent. Unframed Hoover inscribed & autographed 1971 photo to agent & wife. Unframed Clarence Kelly (2nd FBI Director; 1973-1978) inscribed & autographed 1976 photo to agent & wife. Framed Hoover signed acknowledgement of 10 years service dated 1958. 3 Hoover signed recognition statements from 1951, 1957 & 1960. 1964 Deputy Secretary of Defense (Cyrus Vance) letter of praise referring to Agent Palguta (and others) sent to Hoover. 4 Framed monetary award bonus letters signed by Hoover dated 1955, 1957, 1964 & 1966; $200, $200, $150 & $200 respectively. Hoover signed 1962 special service recognition letter in reference to Nelson Drummond case. Envelope containing a hand written note to “”Joe” with the FBI summarization of Drummond’s espionage dated 1964. Hardbound 1965 book w/ dust jacket titled “Red Spies in the UN” containing reference to Drummond. Hardbound 1979 book titled “The Bureau” by William Sullivan summarizing “My Thirty Years in Hoover’s FBI” referring to Drummond case pages 162 to 195. Sept 25, 1965 "Saturday Evening Post" magazine w/ extensive article about Hoover’s FBI & article about Bill Cosby due to popularity of his “I Spy” TV series costarring Robert Culp. CONDITION: very faint cyl. turn line, function wear on hammer, peppery oxidation on right side of trigger & light marks on grips; all other aspects including bore are near excellent. (22-6178/NW). CURIO. $3,000-5,000.