Spring 2025 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction
May 8th, 9th, 10th, & 11th, 2025
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!
S&W 357 REGISTERED MAGNUM REVOLVER ENGRAVED BY ARNOLD GRIEBEL
25-1118
Cal. 357 Mag
S# 53164
Bbl. 8 3/4″ with factory installed Marble No. 35F gold bead front sight; frame contoured and engraved adjustable rear sight with “U” notch blade rather than normal square notch. Shipped August 3, 1937 to Beatrice, NB Police Dept. with June 10, 1937 order stating sighted at 50 yards with 357 ammo using 6 o’clock hold. References state only 735 Registered Magnums made with this longest barrel offering. Magna grips with diamond center having unmarked machined locating disks, large silver medallions and engraved head of grip screw. Engraver Griebel was born 1890 in Germany and studied in Suhl; he immigrated to the US in 1928 where he worked as a die engraver while engraving firearms part time. He worked in the Chicago area and was mostly active in the 1940’s to the early 1960’s; he died in 1970 at the age of 79. He was a master engraver who was considered the best of his era by E. C. Prudhomme and often featured by John Amber in his publications. This revolver has his classic floral scrollwork with shaded backgrounds along with gold embellishments. The perimeter of the cylinder is outlined in gold plus there is a gold “JM” (or IM) monogram on the left side below the cylinder latch. The side plate has a vignette of a perched eagle in raised gold relief with shaded background. The butt is signed “ENGR. BY A. GRIEBEL”. Coverage is very close to full with a unique feature by the top of the grips; the design has what appears to be a border that follows the arc of the grips yet if the Magna grips are removed, there is continued blended coverage that would show properly if service grips were installed. Registration number is 2621. Matching serial numbers on frame, barrel, cylinder and extractor. Grip straps have the early 6 groove pattern. Case colored serrated trigger of standard width plus finely checkered standard width hammer with fine concentric grooves on sides.
UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: factory letter of 2021 and copy of original invoice confirming prior information.
PROVENANCE: From the Estate of Jon Thomas, Gunsport, LTD.; formerly of the Dr. Gerald Klaz collection.
STATUS: CURIO
