Fall 2023 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction
November 3rd, 4th, 5th, & 6th, 2023
This auction will feature an outstanding collection of items spanning multiple categories including Modern, Military, Sporting, & Antique firearms & militaria! Below is just a small grouping of select highlights from the massive offering to be featured in this upcoming sale!
EXHIBITION SHOOTERS ERNIE AND DOT LIND’S HIGHLY EMBELLISHED SMITH & WESSON PRE
MODEL 27 REVOLVER.
23-4917
Cal. 357 Magnum.
S#. S 84079.
“The Shooting Linds”, Ernie and Dot were a renowned husband & wife exhibition shooting team that carried on the tradition of the famed shooter’s of previous times. Over their career they performed shooting demonstrations for the Winchester Repeating Arms Co,. Western Cartridge Co., Metro-Goldyn-Mayer Motion Picture Co. and the U.S. Army. This stunning work of art is a Smith & Wesson pre-27 post WWII 357 revolver. Bbl. 8 3/8″ with checkered rib and shrouded ejector. Red ramp front sight with white outline adjustable target rear. Case colored target hammer and target trigger. Exhibition quality full coverage engraving and coin finish. The right side plate features a forest scene with 2 fighting bull elk. Additionally the right side shows a whitetail buck and a big horn sheep portrait. Left side scene features a charging grizzly and bobcat portrait. The crane display a pronghorn antelope portrait. The balance of the bbl., frame and flat portion of the 6 shot fluted cylinder are covered with masterfully executed vine type scroll. The 2 piece ivory target grips have silver S&W medallions. The outstanding scrimshaw features a woodland mountain scene with a double shovel bull caribou on the right panel. This scene is bordered by vine type foliate scroll that continues to the entire right panel and is accentuated by dark brown backgrounds. The back of the right panel is pencil marked “Grips made by Ernie Lind”. UNATTACHED ACCESORIES: An 8×11 black & white photo, dated 3-1-1957, shows Dot Lind holding the revolver upside down over her shoulder and aiming with a mirror. A smaller 5×4 photo shows 8 embellished handguns including this one. The caption on the back reads “some of the Ernie Lind collection. All Sold.” A brochure titled ‘GUNTHUNDER HILL” promotes the Lind’s famous shooting act. Also included is a copy of Ernie’s ‘The Complete Book of Trick & Fancy Shooting”. Also included is a Don Mundell Smith & Wesson letter dated July 14, 2023 detailing the history of the 357 Magnum revolver, noting “The invoice shows serial number S84079 was delivered to Mr. Miller, Sales Manager on August 30, 1951. It was through Jurek Brothers Inc., 53 School Street, Greenfield, Massachusetts. The invoice reads “FOR ERNEST LIND”. The only details on the invoice indicates it shipped with a 8 3/8-inch barrel with a nickel finish. Fred Miller hand delivered this revolver to Ernie Lind at Gunthunder Hill in West Swanzey, New Hampshire. The engraving and the stocks were added sometime after S84079 left Smith & Wesson”. Letter from Michael Helms of the Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation also confirms the information in the previous letter. Copied Invoice #WR26361 from Smith & Wesson dated Aug. 30, 1951 for this revolver. PROVENANCE: From the Estate of Jon Thomas.
STATUS: CURIO
