2200

FACTORY ENGRAVED SMITH & WESSON #2 ARMY INSCRIBED TO CIVIL WAR SUTLER.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:3,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 9,000.00 USD
FACTORY ENGRAVED SMITH & WESSON #2 ARMY INSCRIBED TO CIVIL WAR SUTLER.
SN 17160. Cal. 32. This is a nice example of the popular Civil War sidearm with 6" bbl with rarely found factory engraving (Louis D. Nimschke) and pearl grips. Inscription engraved on backstrap reads "A. FOULKE 1864". Andrew Foulke was a military sutler made famous by Dr. Francis Lord by using a war time photograph of Foulke's army tent with a sign reading "A FOULKE SUTLER, 1ST BRIGADE, HORSE ARTY" as the dust jacket cover of his book Civil War Sutlers. Sutlers in the Army were civilians who were allowed to sell various goods to soldiers and many had very unsavory and unscrupulous reputations among the soldiers he was selling to. This arm was part of a NRA National Firearms Museum display of "exceptional arms" in 2003. This was one of those arms and it is pictured in the publication titled Exceptional Arms. Based on a wonderful article by Marlan Polhemus (American Society of Arms Collectors, Bulletin #85, April 2002) we feel Foulke was not among the hated and appears to have been an honest merchant, though quite prosperous. "While this inscribed revolver was the possession of only a military/civilian merchant, and not of some gallant officer with many heroic deeds, it remains a very unique piece, if not one-of-a-kind, inscribed to a Civil War sutler." A copy of these articles along with a large portfolio of research and information accompanies this firearm, including a copy of Foulke Family genealogy. Also included are a series of 8X10 photos of A. Foulke's Sutler Tent by John Gibson (Matthew Brady's Studio); an image copy of Andrew Foulke provided by his family; and a Life Magazine, dated Feb. 3, 1961, showing Foulke Sutler Tent. PROVENANCE: Marlan Polhemus Collection. CONDITION: Gun retains strong traces of its original silver finish on frame, cyl and bbl with staining and pitting and balance of metal gray/brown. Maker's address on bbl flat is crisp and easily read as are serial numbers. Pearl grips are sound and solid and well fit. Mechanically gun functions well with well discerned rifling. 4-48741 JS62