top break 38 hammerless- ????
Help me figure out who made it-
5 shot hammerless .38S&W, with a GRIP SAFETY. 3 inch, nickel plated, blued trigger guard. Rib on barrel is marked The Old Firearms Manufacture and patent dates from 1907. Right side is stamped trade mark- and a figure I can't describe. NOT an IJ or a H&R. Very similar to a S&W lemon squeezer in design. Cannot find a proof mark I would expect from Belgium, Spain or Italy. Trademark logo repeated on brass medallions on grips. 4 digit serial number on butt, not aligned.
Actually in good shape, locks up tight on firing. Paid paperweight prices for it, just trying to figure out who made it. Perhaps a cheap copy of a S&W?
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?
5 shot hammerless .38S&W, with a GRIP SAFETY. 3 inch, nickel plated, blued trigger guard. Rib on barrel is marked The Old Firearms Manufacture and patent dates from 1907. Right side is stamped trade mark- and a figure I can't describe. NOT an IJ or a H&R. Very similar to a S&W lemon squeezer in design. Cannot find a proof mark I would expect from Belgium, Spain or Italy. Trademark logo repeated on brass medallions on grips. 4 digit serial number on butt, not aligned.
Actually in good shape, locks up tight on firing. Paid paperweight prices for it, just trying to figure out who made it. Perhaps a cheap copy of a S&W?
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?
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There is a similar one pictured in A.B. Zhuk's book. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Handguns". He has it listed as the, "Safe Model", maker unknown? Eibar Spain. Spain didn't require proof marks, until after the end of the First World War, in the mid 1920's.
No marks shown in Zhuk's, pen and ink sketch. The removable side plate, on the left side, is kind of odd looking. Not almost round like the Smiths. But kind of rectangular.0 -
Rufe- FOUND it in the book you referenced! Illustration 464, GECO ! Gustav Genschow & Co. It is my understanding that they were importer/dealer more than gun maker- this is a very near copy of the S&W "Safety" model. And the sideplate shown in drawing 464 is a perfect match! Thank you!
Specimen I picked up in about 95% on the plating- appears to have been shot very little.0 -
Zhuk 603 (Spain) is the same gun as 464 (Ger.) as far as I can tell from the drawing.
ALFA (Adolf Frank), a competitor to GECO, shows 1911 cat no 309n as much the same thing. Cost you 27.50 marks, which was a good deal of money at the time.0 -
quote:Originally posted by 11b6r
Rufe- FOUND it in the book you referenced! Illustration 464, GECO ! Gustav Genschow & Co. It is my understanding that they were importer/dealer more than gun maker- this is a very near copy of the S&W "Safety" model. And the sideplate shown in drawing 464 is a perfect match! Thank you!
Specimen I picked up in about 95% on the plating- appears to have been shot very little.
Gustav Genschow was a very well known, German Sporting Goods wholesaler/distributor. Because of the very strict, gun proofing laws in Germany though. Your revolver might have been wholesaled by Genschow, but not in Germany.
More likely it was transshipped directly from Spain to South America. The Genschow crest and grips, would have just made gullible buyers over there think it was German made.
During that time frame, before and after the First World War. Spanish Handguns, were sold very cheaply on the world market. My WAG is that your revolver probably sold, between $3.00 & $5.00.0
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