SMITH & WESSON #1 SECOND ISSUE REVOLVER PRESENTED BY FRANCIS DEGRESS.

SMITH & WESSON #1 SECOND ISSUE REVOLVER PRESENTED BY FRANCIS DEGRESS. SN 121569. Francis DeGress was a famous Civil War artillery officer, captain of the famous Battery H, 1st Illinois light artillery, General W.D. Sherman’s elite battery unit, who was a hero in the Atlanta Campaign. He is noted for taking the 1st shot in the Battle of Atlanta and continued to be engaged in Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” After the Civil War, DeGress was a well known gun merchant in New York City and especially in Mexico City being one of the largest and best known dealers in Mexico during the Wild West era. This particular 22 Cal. Smith & Wesson was made in its last year of production and delivered to “Wexel & DeGress” November 24, 1868. The backstrap on this gun is engraved “F. DeGress to F. Messmer”. We are not sure who DeGress presented this pistol to but further research could solve this mystery. Smith & Wesson historian Roy Jinks in a 1991 letter (included with archive) states, “Unfortunately, there is no record of a Mr. Fritz Messmer in our company records. I have never examined “contour” cases. I wonder if Mr. Messmer may have been the individual who cast the DeGress grips.” Regardless this is a fine little Smith presented by Francis DeGress with original ivory stocks with silver and blue finish. The gun has matching assembly numbers. PROVENANCE: Marc E. Walz Collection, Tom LoPiano Collection, Marlan Polhemus Collection. CONDITION: Gun overall is very good to fine. Bbl retains traces of blue finish with balance plum and gray/brown. Cyl is a matching gray/brown. Frame retains about 80% of its silver plate. Some bubbling and much of the silver has turned gray. Ivory grips are fine well fit with good patina. There is an original Civil War inventory receipt signed by Captain Degress which is in fine condition. A large file of research materials accompany this gun. There is also an orig CDV of F. DeGress during his W&D era. Accompanying all of the material is a copy of recently published “The Francis DeGress Story” by Marlan Polhemus which details his CW engagements; Wexel & DeGress Arms business; and DeGress grips patent. This inscribed revolver is prominently shown and described in the book (pp. 77-79). 4-48744 JS79 (5,000-10,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2013

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2219	$0.00	SMITH & WESSON #1 SECOND ISSUE REVOLVER PRESENTED BY FRANCIS DEGRESS. SN 121569. Francis DeGress was a famous Civil War artillery officer, captain of the famous Battery H, 1st Illinois light artillery, General W.D. Sherman’s elite battery unit, who was a hero in the Atlanta Campaign. He is noted for taking the 1st shot in the Battle of Atlanta and continued to be engaged in Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” After the Civil War, DeGress was a well known gun merchant in New York City and especially in Mexico City being one of the largest and best known dealers in Mexico during the Wild West era. This particular 22 Cal. Smith & Wesson was made in its last year of production and delivered to “Wexel & DeGress” November 24, 1868. The backstrap on this gun is engraved “F. DeGress to F. Messmer”. We are not sure who DeGress presented this pistol to but further research could solve this mystery. Smith & Wesson historian Roy Jinks in a 1991 letter (included with archive) states, “Unfortunately, there is no record of a Mr. Fritz Messmer in our company records. I have never examined “contour” cases. I wonder if Mr. Messmer may have been the individual who cast the DeGress grips.” Regardless this is a fine little Smith presented by Francis DeGress with original ivory stocks with silver and blue finish. The gun has matching assembly numbers. PROVENANCE: Marc E. Walz Collection, Tom LoPiano Collection, Marlan Polhemus Collection. CONDITION: Gun overall is very good to fine. Bbl retains traces of blue finish with balance plum and gray/brown. Cyl is a matching gray/brown. Frame retains about 80% of its silver plate. Some bubbling and much of the silver has turned gray. Ivory grips are fine well fit with good patina. There is an original Civil War inventory receipt signed by Captain Degress which is in fine condition. A large file of research materials accompany this gun. There is also an orig CDV of F. DeGress during his W&D era. Accompanying all of the material is a copy of recently published “The Francis DeGress Story” by Marlan Polhemus which details his CW engagements; Wexel & DeGress Arms business; and DeGress grips patent. This inscribed revolver is prominently shown and described in the book (pp. 77-79). 4-48744 JS79 (5,000-10,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2013 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

.red{fill:#B50938;} .white{fill:#FFFFFF;} .blue{fill:#005596;}