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Presented to 1908 Olympic Gold Medal Winner Major Charles B. Winder
Collector’s Fact
Colonel Charles B. Winder was a member of the gold medal winning 1908 Summer Olympic Games U.S. Rifle Team and the man whose name the Winchester Winder musket carries.
The revolver is fitted with two piece fleur-de-lis checkered walnut grips featuring a diamond pattern around the screw. The Colt factory letter confirms the caliber, barrel length, finish and factory engraved “CBW” on the side plate. All blue finish with niter blue trigger and hammer with polished sides. The revolver was shipped to the U.S. Cartridge Co. of Boston, Massachusetts, on February 12, 1910 as part of a 12 gun shipment. The case that holds the Colt Officer Model Target revolver and the Smith & Wesson Triple Lock Target Model revolver has a brass presentation plaque inscribed, “LEST WE FORGET/Presented to/MAJ. CHARLES B. WINDER/United States Rifle Team/OLYMPIC GAMES 1908/by the/United States Cartridge Co.” The oak case is bound in leather with the French fitted interior lined in chamois. The case also contains a glass bottle of P.J. O’Hare sight black, a tin oiler and screwdriver.
CONDITION: Excellent. The revolver retains 90% bright original high polish blue finish with a smooth gray patina on the balance. Some mild pitting is present. 97% original niter blue remains on the hammer and trigger. The grips are very fine with some minor handling marks on the bottoms and a few blemishes in the overall crisp checkering. Mechanically fine. The case is good showing moderate wear on the leather and high spot wear on the chamois.
B) Scarce Smith & Wesson First Model 44 Hand Ejector Triple Lock Double Action Target Revolver with Monogram - Serial no. 4094, 44 S&W special cal., 7 1/2 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured from 1907 to 1915 within the serial number range 1 to 15,375. This revolver is the scarce target version of the .44 Hand Ejector with the very desirable triple lock mechanism. Most S&W experts are of the opinion that the triple lock mechanism was more an expression of the ultimate in precision machine work than as a necessity for strength and function. Smith & Wesson’s normal two locks provided more locking strength than their competitor Colt. The target revolver is equipped with the pinned blade front sight and adjustable notch rear sight with two screws. It has a 7 1/2 inch barrel, smooth grip straps, checkered hammer, checkered cylinder latch and smooth trigger. The barrel is marked with the two line S&W address/patent date marking on the top flanked by Maltese crosses and “44 S&W SPECIAL CTG” is marked on the left side. The S&W trademark is stamped on the right side plate of the 5-screw frame. The engraved “MCBW” monogram for Major Charles B. Winder (see description “A”) is featured on the left side of the frame. The barrel and the cylinder are numbered to the gun, and the frame and crane have matching assembly number “6335.” Casehardened hammer and trigger and fitted with checkered diamond pattern walnut grips with a square butt and featuring blank stock circles. The right grip panel is numbered to the gun.
CONDITION: Excellent. The revolver retains 95% original blue finish showing some minor holster wear and a smooth gray patina mixed with original finish on the back strap. Some scattered areas of mild pitting are present, and the right side plate has a numerous minor scratches. The hammer and trigger retain 70% original case colors. The grips are excellent with some very scattered minor handling marks and overall crisp checkering. Mechanically fine. Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
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