Accompanying this piece of S&W factory art is a factory letter confirming the 3 3/16 inch barrel, blue and silver finish, factory engraving and grip material. The letter also states the revolver was shipped on March 15, 1866 and delivered to E.H. Buckland & Co. This shipment was for two units. The embellishment is much more elaborate than standard factory engraving and coupled with the silver plating which is quite rare on its own, makes it possible that this revolver was a presentation or exhibition piece. Most engraved pieces were nickel plated with the silver and gold plating reserved for special pieces. The barrel and cylinder are blued, and the frame is plated in silver. The right grip panel has the last three digits of the serial number in Roman numerals carved on the back. Includes the rare and highly sought after "Stand of Flags" Gutta Percha case which features a cartridge block holding a full count of 56 cartridges and decorative royal purple velvet lid lining and contains a cleaning rod. Only 5,000 Gutta Percha cases are said to have been made for Smith & Wesson. Most of these were made by Littlefield, Parsons & Co, who also made similar cases for daguerreotypes. These "special" cases were popular during the second half of the 19th Century and were usually used for fancy or presentation guns. They were special ordered or added by the distributor after shipment from the factory. These were generally found with the Model 1, 1st and 2nd Issue revolvers. The "Stand of Flags" is one of two types of Gutta Percha cases commonly recognized; the other showcases a relief image of a Model No. 1 on the lid. Out of these two case styles, the "Stand of Flags" is the rarest. Provenance: The Gary Burghoff Collection

Very good. The barrel and cylinder have a dark mottled patina with scattered light pitting. The frame retains 40% aged darkened original silver plating. The engraving is crisp. The grips are also very good with a chip on the bottom at the frame pin (right panel), some handling marks, and attractive aged mellow appearance. The cylinder does not lock, otherwise the action functions properly. The case is very fine with a couple hairline cracks on the exterior and lining showing some typical high spot wear and fading. The delicate nature of these cases meant that many did not survive. Finding one in such high condition like this example is becoming difficult. A documented factory engraved S&W Model No. 1, Second Issue Revolver made even more desirable with a rare S&W "Stand of Flags" Gutta Percha case.