Manufactured in 1954, this stunning one-of-a-kind consecutively serialized pair of S&W Pre-Model 27 Revolvers was commissioned by S&W for its 100th anniversary. This set has been featured in several high profile gun hobbyist magazines, pictured on the back cover of the "2020 Standard Catalog of Firearms" and is pictured and described in Michael Kennelly’s “Smith & Wesson Engraving” (see the copyright page and pages 344-347). More on these publications later. Let’s first discuss what the S&W factory records have to say. Accompanying this set are two factory letters. The first letter from 2006 is addressed to Floyd Everhart, and the second letter from 2010 is addressed to Michael Kennelly. The factory letters state that this special order consecutive serialized Pre-Model 27 revolver pair were shipped on October 12, 1954 and delivered to Rex Firearms Co. of New York City with 8 3/8 inch barrels, red ramp front sights, in the white finish and rosewood target grips. In one of the letters S&W historian Roy Jinks writes, “The invoice states delivered to W.W. Sanborn, S&W Sales Representee. In the shipping records that entry is crossed out and Cabot & Webster, New York is handwritten [sic] in, but the only invoice is the one to Rex Firearms Co. We cannot verify anything about the engraving except that they were prepared for engraving by Smith & Wesson before being shipped.” Often referred to as "the Tiffany's of the gun world," Rex Firearms of New York specialized in selling one-of-a-kind firearms. A set commissioned by Rex Firearms was recently sold by our company in 2019 (see lot 1249 in our September 2019 Premier Firearms Auction No. 77). In “Smith & Wesson Engraving” author Michael Kennelly continued the story where Roy Jinks left off in the factory letter. As told by Kennelly, “This pair was commissioned (after the fact) by S&W to commemorate their 100th Anniversary…When Rex [Firearms] was unable to provide the level of work desired, the guns were transferred to Cabot & Webster of Yonkers, N.Y. Cabot & Webster sub-contracted the work to Justin Michilena of Miami, Florida…When finally completed, they were rejected by S&W because the [life] dates for Daniel B. Wesson are incorrectly shown as 1825-1902, when Wesson died in 1906, further that several of the gold inlays were out of scale and appear distorted. The revolvers were given to Walter W. Sanborn, the S&W Sales Representative. Ultimately they were quietly sold to noted gun author W.H.B. Smith.” In the February 2012 issue of Man at Arms (issued included) Kennelly published an article about this pair under the title “The Mystery Pair”, at a time when the name of the engraver was unknown. He ended the article by encouraging anyone with information to contact the magazine. Not long after the magazine hit the shelves a collector came forward stating that while working at a Miami gun shop when he was a freshman at the University of Miami in the late 1950s, he witnessed the guns being embellished by talented Cuban born engraver Justin Michilena. “Justin was a master engraver with fantastic talent and a very fine man,” wrote the witness in a letter to the editor published in the April 2012 issue. “He did most of his work ‘free hand’ without having a pattern in front of him. He would just pick up his chisel and hammer and start hammering away.” This set was also featured as the cover story to the fall 2019 issue of the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association Journal and on the cover of the June 1961 issue of Guns. Both publications are included. Both revolvers feature an extensive floral scroll engraving on a stippled background and several gold inlays commemorating 100 years of S&W history. No. S124726 features a raised gold bust of Horace Smith on the side plate, a series of gold inlaid S&W arms (Volcanic repeating pistol; Model 1, 1st Issue; No. 3 American; .32 Hand Ejector; First Model of 1896 single shot pistol; and .38 Safety Hammerless) on the cylinder and a gold inlaid .320 Revolving Rifle on the left side of the barrel. No. S124727 features a raised gold bust of Daniel B. Wesson on the side plate, a series of gold inlaid S&W arms (Ladysmith; .38 M&P Model of 1905; Model of 1913 pistol; .357 Magnum; K-Masterpiece; and Model 39) on the cylinder and a gold inlaid .22 Single Shot Pistol with 10 inch barrel on the left side of the barrel. Both revolvers are fitted with highly attractive goncalo alves Magna grips featuring gold S&W medallions. The revolvers come in their original brown leather attaché type case lined in green felt.

As described in "A".