1902 Sears & Roebuck Advertisement

[gdmoody]

While I was in Florida over the Independence Day weekend, I attended a fireworks display in Greensboro, Florida. This page was part of the "program" book of sponsors. I had forgotten that I still had the book until I found it in the car today. I thought it was kind of interesting so I thought I would post it here. If these aren't Curios and Relics, I don't know what is.

It is kind of hard to read the fine print but look at the prices. I saw a thread a few weeks ago about the stupidity of a bayonet on a pistol. Look in the lower left corner, H&R made a revolver with a bayonet attached over 100 years ago.

[Twaits]

I have a reproduction of that catalog. My Dad has that flintlock. It's identical. I think it came either from Sears or Bannermans. My Grandfather bought it probably back in the 20s.
My favorite thing about the ad for the H&R knife revolver is a quote something like this "due to the many requests for a bayonet revolver, we are happy to say we can now provide this item"
So according to Sears lots of people contacted them saying "Hey you guys really ought to carry some kind of knife revolver!"
I've only seen two of these knife guns for sale on line. One was like $2000
and the other was like $650. I wonder if anyone out on the forum has one they could post a pic of?

[carver]

Great prices! I would love to own one of those automatic revolvers! Looking at the Colt in the lower right hand corner, I could make out that it was a .38 caliber, range 500 - 1000 yds, @ 1300fps, and all that for only $18.50!

[b.goforth]

there is an advanced H&R collector on the east coast who was a great help in suppling information on his collection for the H&R book. he has one of the H&R knife revolvers. he has visited this forum in the past. maybe he will share the next time he visits.

here is the information he and i gave the blue book on this revolver;

AUTO-EJECTING KNIFE MODEL -----------------------------1901-1917
This is the same as the regular Auto-Ejector Model except, 4 inch barrel with a 2¼ inch double edge knife attached under the barrel. Only finish listed in catalogs was nickel but some blue finish examples have turned up
SAME AS SECOND MODEL AUTO-EJECTOR, BLACK POWDER ONLY-----------1901-1904
SAME AS THIRD MODEL AUTO-EJECTOR, SMOKELESS POWDER------------1905-1917
VALUE: 100%= $2000+ (very rare) 95%= $1500 60%= $550 add 10% premium for blue finish. Deduct 60% if knife is missing

the H&R catalogs stated this was a useful tool to have when afield.
bill

[gdmoody]

Mr. Goforth, I was a little curious about something. In reading all of the product descriptions, the Nickel Plated on every one of them were cheaper than the blue models. Do you know why that was?

[Twaits]

Originally Posted by b.goforth

there is an advanced H&R collector on the east coast who was a great help in suppling information on his collection for the H&R book. he has one of the H&R knife revolvers. he has visited this forum in the past. maybe he will share the next time he visits.

here is the information he and i gave the blue book on this revolver;

AUTO-EJECTING KNIFE MODEL -----------------------------1901-1917
This is the same as the regular Auto-Ejector Model except, 4 inch barrel with a 2¼ inch double edge knife attached under the barrel. Only finish listed in catalogs was nickel but some blue finish examples have turned up
SAME AS SECOND MODEL AUTO-EJECTOR, BLACK POWDER ONLY-----------1901-1904
SAME AS THIRD MODEL AUTO-EJECTOR, SMOKELESS POWDER------------1905-1917
VALUE: 100%= $2000+ (very rare) 95%= $1500 60%= $550 add 10% premium for blue finish. Deduct 60% if knife is missing

the H&R catalogs stated this was a useful tool to have when afield.
bill

I believe one of the ones I saw for sale online was blue.

[b.goforth]

at one point in the history of nickel plating it was easier and cheaper to nickle plate a revolver that to do all the buffing and polishing that was needed for a good blue finish, and even then some of the early steel used in these revolver did not take blue very well unless properly preparedand applied. the blue finish available on the more expensive firearms took a lot more handwork. so it was basically a matter of economic. in order to keep the cost down they were nickle plated.

bill