Something from a different Era

[daytime dave]

[JEBar]

fascinating .... any info on them

[daytime dave]

Of course Jim.
I put a deal together over the course of my journeys north this past "summer" season. My favorite sporting goods store is located nearby camp. They are featured at the top of the website. As I have become a regular customer there, the owner and his son have my tastes in handguns zeroed in fairly well. Smith and Wesson revolvers top that list. The Covid kept them closed until the powers that be opened the area. I took my stimulus money and stimulated them, purchasing some new firearms there. The owner contacted me to thank me and texted me photographs of the Smith and Wesson model 1, second issue. The one on the right. It was part of an estate he was working on. Sure I was interested in it. I'll take it. A subsequent trip and I saw it and was offered the other model 1 on the left, an American Standard Tool Co of Newark NJ copy of the Smith and Wesson. The American Standard was sued by a patent holder that Smith and Wesson paid a royalty to on every model 1. American Standard lost the suit as did other companies I was told. Both guns hail from the mid 1860's. They will reside in a shadowbox that my stepson will make for me in the future.
The shop was curbside service, one at a time. Patience was a must and I had built up respect and trust with these folks. I had said sold prior to ever seeing them. Last weekend I picked them up. It was a long but pleasant process.
A lot of history in those two small revolvers.
More photographs soon.

[JEBar]

Smith & Wesson Model 1 .... outstanding .... I've heard of them but never seen one

[North Country Gal]

Those are class of collectible that few of us ever see, let alone own. Truly amazing, Dave. Please keep the pics and info coming.

[daytime dave]

Here are some more photographs of the Smith and Wesson model # 1.





Here is the American Standard Tool Co Model One. As you can see, it is very similar. The patent in question was held by Rollin White. It was for a bored through cylinder. That held the metallic cartridge, the rather diminutive .22 short black powder. But it was bored all the way through and held seven rounds. The Smith and Wesson model one was very popular and the knock offs were too. Apparently, Smith and Wesson paid White a royalty of .25 cents for each handgun produced. He actually had to sue for the patent infringement as it was his patent. My research says that Smith and Wesson went on to be successful and profit and White sued and sued and ended up not doing well. If you look at the two guns, you can see the fairly blatant copycat industrial production. If you shake the S&W from side to side, you get some wobble. If you shake the AST gun from side to side, you might wonder how the bullet found it's way from the cylinder out the end of the barrel. Quality vs. price played a part back then too it seems with the American consumer.





PS, the towel is a collectible of sorts too. It was a prototype that Evan sent me to evaluate early on. I don't think there are more than two or three of them in circulation. lol

[markiver54]

Very interesting Dave! Thanks for sharing. S&W's are my favorite revolvers also.

[Rifletom]

Unique. Riverboat gambler's delight. Neat!

[Sir Henry]

Those are great Dave! I glanced at them yesterday and then this morning looked at them in great detail. Remind me never to play cards with you on a riverboat.

[daytime dave]

Here are a few more shots with the action open. The bar under the barrel serves a purpose. To expel spent cartridges from the cylinder. I put a few modern CCI .22 shorts in the pictures to give a bit of perspective.