S&W model 1½ "tip up" revolver and St.John, New Brunswick City Police

Recently, while browsing through an auction site, and  I was pleased to come across a nickel plated S&W #1½ New model that was made between 1868-75,  which, at some time in the past, was a service pistol with the St.John NB Canada City Police Dept.

 this is my lovely factory blued .32 caliber rim fire S&W #1½ New model revolver! 

I think the first S&W rimfire revolvers were quite an elegant mechanical design, and it's too bad they didn't produce a .38RF "tip-up" model, like J.M Marlin did with their "Standard" series of tip-up revolvers.

The cartridges aren't original collectable & really expensive examples, they are like the widely available machined brass cases with off-center primer pockets that use 6mm rimfire starter pistol blanks, and filled with black powder, however, for the photo, the cases are empty and  I have seated a .32 caliber or .315" lead round ball.

Colt New line Pocket revolvers

 

My Colt New Line revolver is the .32 caliber rimfire model, which is the top right in the above advertisement circa.1875

Flitz was the most recommended polish, and with some effort it really did a good job cleaning and protecting the antique nickel finish!

S&W Revolvers

 

Here is my Smith & Wesson no.1½ New Model .32 caliber rim-fire cartridge revolver which was made in 1875.

To reload this revolver, the barrel was designed to "tip up" and then the cylinder could be  removed.

Shells were ejected with the tool found under the barrel of the pistol.

19th century Revolver Advertising never fails to amuse!!!

 Prior to 1900, life for the average person living in America  was extremely difficult and nothing at all like today.

 Feral dogs roamed in packs and when mass production made  the bicycle affordable, more people were able to pedal further and expand their "world", but also increase their chances of facing dangerous situations during a time when an infected cut may be lethal.

Today, some ads like the first one here would cause outrage among the public, but in 1880, it would have been perfectly normal and understandable.

Revolvers & Pistols of the 19th century

 

Researching an Antique Arms collection...

 Three quarters of the time I spend on my Antique firearms hobby is spent reading books & periodicals, searching through photographs and online resources.

I discovered how to properly disassemble the Remington-Smoot #2 revolver from the original directions printed on the box the Revolver was packaged in.

I found the picture of the box label within the Standard Catalog of Remington Firearms Book.

The Norwich Pistol Co. "Protector" .32RF Revolver wasn't as difficult to research as other "Spur trigger" Revolvers, as it has a Patent date and tradename engraved on the barrel.

I discovered that a Hardware sales & distribution company called Maltby, Curtis & Co. founded the Norwich Pistol Co.