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Desirable Early Production Smith & Wesson No. 2 Type I Lever Action Pistol from the Dr. Gerald Klaz Collection
LOT 107
Fine Smith & Wesson No. 2 Type I Lever Action Pistol - Serial no. 115, 41 Volcanic cal., 8 inch bbl., blue/brown finish,
rosewood grips. This is an early production Smith & Wesson No. 2, “Volcanic” lever action pistol. The pistol has the early Type
I features which include: (1) pronounced hump on the frame behind the trigger, (2) uncrowned muzzle that is flush with the magazine, (3) flat magazine lock spring, (4) single lever spring screw and (5) loading lever with spur. The pistol has an eight-inch, part-round, barrel with brass, pinch-back, front sight blade. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: “SMITH & WESSON/NORWICH CT./ CAST-STEEL” in three lines followed by “PATENT”. The steel receiver has a screw-fastened, fixed, rear sight and hammer with fine- knurled spur. The receiver top, sides, sideplates and top of the hammer are decorated with the open scroll engraving that was standard on Smith & Wesson No. 2 pistols. The two-piece rosewood grips have flared butts. The serial number is stamped on the right side of the receiver butt beneath the grip and penciled on the inside of both grips. The barrel/magazine is browned, the receiver has a high polish blue finish, the hammer, trigger and lever are casehardened and the grips have a high polish piano finish. Smith & Wesson manufactured fewer than 500 large frame, No. 2, lever action pistols. The early production pistols with Type I features are quite rare and desirable. The steel frames on Smith & Wesson lever action pistols did not retain the blue well and pistols that show even traces of the original high polish blue finish are particularly desirable.
CONDITION: Fine, with 40% of the original brown, blue and casehardened finish. The brown finish on the barrel/magazine has aged to a smooth plum patina and is about 60%. The edges are sharp and the Smith & Wesson legend on the top flat is crisp.
The cartridge follower is missing. The receiver has a smooth, mottled brown, patina with significant amounts of the original high polish blue finish visible in protected areas. The simple but well executed scroll engraving is crisp. The case colors on the hammer, trigger and lever have faded to a mottled, gray-brown patina. The grips show some handling wear but remain in fine
overall condition and retain 60% of the original piano finish. This is an
outstanding example of a rare and desirable Smith & Wesson No. 2
Type I lever action pistol with rarely encountered blue finish.
Provenance: The Dr. Gerald Klaz Collection.
Estimate: 20,000 - 30,000