Smith & Wesson Large Frame, Type I, Repeating Pistol with Smith & Wesson factory letter. The letter states that this pistol, serial number "147" was manufactured in 1854 and was sold through the S&W agent J. Dixon Company of New York. The pistol has a half-round/half-octagon barrel with integral ten-shot magazine. The pistol has the distinctive "Type I" frame with hump behind the hammer, single spring screw on the bottom of the frame and flat uncrowned muzzle. The finger lever has a spur at the bottom. The pistol has a screw-fastened L-shaped fixed rear sight on the frame and a flattened cone front sight. The hammer has a knurled spur. The pistol has two-piece rosewood grips with a varnish finish. The top and sides of the frame and back of the hammer are decorated with open scroll and leaf engraving. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the legend "SMITH & WESSON/NORWICH CT./CAST-STEEL" in three lines followed by "PATENT". The serial number "147" is stamped on the back face of the rear sight and on the left side of the butt underneath the grip. "147" is written in pencil on the inside of both grips. All of the visible serial numbers match. Designed in 1852, the Smith & Wesson Repeating pistol was the first successful American-made handgun capable of firing a self-contained cartridge. Smith & Wesson produced fewer than 500 large frame .41 caliber repeating pistols. Surviving examples are extremely rare.

Very good. The pistol has an even silver-gray patina with scattered traces of age discoloration. There are some small spots of light pitting on the left side of the barrel and the frame. None of the original brown finish is present of the barrel, frame or lever. The well executed engraving on the frame and hammer is crisp. The barrel markings and serial numbers are sharp. The period revarnished, slightly undersize, grips are good with light handling marks; there is an old chip in the heel of the left grip. This is a solid representative example of a scarce Smith & Wesson Large Frame Type I Repeating Pistol.