This is a very nice example of a very early post WWI second model, hand-ejector revolver as produced by the Smith and Wesson Company. This revolver is actually quite scarce as this series of revolvers was introduced in 1915, and very few were actually sold to the general public because of the demands for the 1917 revolvers during WWI. In fact these revolvers weren't actually sold until sometime in 1920. Consequently, this specific revolver is actually a very early production model being sold in June 1921 in the scarce "44 S&W" caliber. This pistol is also some what rare as the frame is a WWI military contract over-run frame as inside the frame area still has the small US Army eagle head S2 acceptance proof. The top of the barrel is marked with the two-line patent and address markings of "SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS. U.S.A. / PATENTED OCT.8.1901, DEC.17.1901, FEB.6.1906" and the right side of the barrel is marked "44 S&W SPECIAL CTG." This revolver features fixed half-moon front sight, with the rear sight being a notch at the rear of the top strap. It has that all nickel plated finish with a set of genuine mother of pearl grips that are smooth on the left side with a large steer head carved on the right side. The hammer and trigger are casehardened. This style of revolver has the six round fluted cylinder with un-shrouded ejector rod and a lanyard loop on the bottom of the butt. It is accompanied by a factory letter that indicates the gun was originally shipped to Belknap Hardware in Louisville, Kentucky on June 29, 1921 in this barrel length, finish and caliber.

Very fine overall with 75% of the original nickel plated finish remaining, with some light flaking and small pin-prick rust spots just starting on the side of the frame, in some areas along the sides of the barrel, the edges of the grip straps, the lower rear edge of the frame with scattered light scratches and nicks in some areas with a slight cylinder drag line from light field use. There is approximately 20% of the casehardening remaining mostly in the protected areas. The mother of pearl grips have a very nice color and the left grip panel has a broken lower corner and the right one has a smaller chip in the same area with some slight shrinkage. This is not uncommon for grips made of this type of material and age as they are very, very fragile. The action is excellent and the cylinder and crane have the same matching assembly numbers and the same serial number is located on the bottom of the butt, the underside of the barrel and the rear of the cylinder.