POTD: Horace Smith’s Personal Revolver – A Founder’s Exhibition Piece
Sam.S 04.28.25
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This little .32 caliber revolver packs more historical punch than its size suggests – it’s one of two special exhibition pieces purchased by Horace Smith himself in 1866, making it essentially the founder’s personal gun. What makes this S&W Model 1½ special is the unique combination of factory engraving and 4-inch barrel (standard was 3½”). It’s the only known example with this configuration. The revolver is silver-plated with a gold-plated cylinder, adorned with factory engraving by F.W. Martin, S&W’s first full-time engraver. The most charming detail is the whimsical scene on the cylinder showing a fox dressed in hunting clothes holding a pistol on a surrendering rabbit – quirky humor you rarely see on 19th century firearms. The provenance is rock-solid, tracked through Charles Hall’s handwritten collection ledger. Hall noted receiving the gun from his brother Edward, writing: “Mr. Horace Smith of Smith and Wesson was a very good friend of ours. Papa and Mama used to visit them and they, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, came up to see us and stay few days. They were very nice people.” According to S&W historian Roy Jinks, factory records show Horace Smith purchased two engraved pearl-grip Model 1½ revolvers on June 16, 1866 – one for $30 and another “slightly more elaborate” for $40. The first gun (serial #15653) remains in the S&W factory collection, while this one (#15655) found its way through various private collections. This revolver earned the NRA’s prestigious “10 Best” Silver Medal in 2010, recognizing its exceptional historical significance as one of the personal firearms of the man who helped create one of America’s most successful gun companies.
“Horace Smith’s Engraved Smith & Wesson Model 1 ½ Revolver.” Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/1170/horace-smiths-engraved-smith-wesson-model-1-revolver. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
