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RARE CASED SMITH & WESSON NO. 2 ARMY SPUR TRIGGER REVOLVER.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 7,000.00 USD
RARE CASED SMITH & WESSON NO. 2 ARMY SPUR TRIGGER REVOLVER.
SN 9882. Cal. 32 RF. Silver finish with 5" keyhole shape bbl, German silver half moon front sight and 3-pin top strap. Mounted with beautiful 2-pc smooth pearl grips. Left side of heel, under the grip is marked with assembly number "16" or "91" which number is also found on front face of cyl and rear face of bbl lug. Accompanied by a spectacular rosewood case with empty brass scalloped plate in the lid and has an ivory lock escutcheon. Interior is burgundy velvet lined and compartmented in the bottom for the revolver, a partial box of UMC cartridges, a small wooden grease box, five loose cartridges and a functioning key. Front cleaning rod compartment is empty. Inside the lid is a hand-written note, in India ink, on old lined paper "Presented To John H. Ulam by the Wagon Masters and Teamsters in His Brigade May 16 / 63". Sgt. Ulam enlisted and was mustered in Nov. 22, 1861 as a sergeant in the 44th Regiment of Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He served the remainder of the war and was mustered out Sept. 14, 1865. His unit saw service and fought in numerous skirmishes & battles including the capture of Fort Donelson, Tennessee in Feb. 1862, Shiloh, TN in April 1862, Chickamauga in Sept. 1863, Siege of Chattanooga and the Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign Nov. 1863. He re-enlisted Jan. 1, 1864 and was mustered out with his unit in Sept. 1865. Information that accompanied this revolver also indicates that Sgt. Ulam served in the Mexican War in the 3rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteers. He died Feb. 1898. A 44th Regiment researcher states that this revolver "must have been presented at Camp Carrington or before returning to the regiment". Also accompanied by a Smith & Wesson factory letter which states this revolver was shipped Jan. 20, 1863 to J.W. Storrs, New York City, NY. It was shipped with 5" bbl, "full plate finish" and smooth rosewood grips. The letter states that in this shipment three units were listed as "full plate". The records do not indicate the type of plate "but generally it is silver at this time". Letter also states that the grips & case were probably supplied by Storrs. Given that this revolver was produced early in the Civil War it can be surmised with a reasonable degree of certainty from the presentation that this revolver would have seen service throughout the remainder of the Civil War. Plated arms of that era are rare and cased examples are very rare. CONDITION: Fine. Revolver overall retains 70-75% thinning orig silver with the loss areas primarily flaked to a dark patina. Grips are extremely fine showing very little wear and retain sharp edges with great fire & color. Mechanics are fine, brilliant shiny bore; may have been fired, but if so very little. Case has a few grain checks in the lid with one small chip and a grain check in the bottom, otherwise is sound with light handling & storage nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig varnish. Interior is heavily faded with light soil and damage from the hammer spur. Cartridge box & grease box are fine; cartridges were not examined. 4-47819 JR298