Iver Johnson Woman's Revolver w/Bone Handle

[annepark]

I just purchased this revolver as part of a estate sale and I have little knowledge of guns and would like to know if anyone could help me with it's value...
thanks so much,
anne

[b.goforth]

anne,
99% of all iver johnson's handguns have markings other than the company name. even the company name was marked different at different times. start at the top what are the markings either on the top of the barrel or the top of the frame? are there any markings on the left or right side of the barrel? are there any markings on the left or right side of the frame below the cylinder? serial number bottom of the butt, front of grip strap or is it under the grip on the left side?

the only iver johnson model that i know of that can be described as having factory bone grips is the model 50 'sidewinder' manufactured between 19961 and 1978. it has imitation stag (tenite plastic) grips that are one piece attached to grip frame by a single screw at the back of the grips.
bill

[Xracer]

Hi Anne.....welcome to TFF.

Bill Goforth is our resident expert on all things "Iver Johnson", so I'll defer to his expertise.....but....I'm wondering if your "Woman's Revolver" might not be what the Standard Catalog of Firearms lists as:

Iver Johnson Petite: A .22 short caliber double-action folding trigger revolver with a 1" barrel and 7-shot cylinder. Nickle-plated with rubber grips. Introduced in 1909.

Does it have a 1" barrel? Does it have a folding trigger?

Can you post some pictures of it? Full length, right and left sides?

[annepark]

Hi there,
I finally have some photos that may help...I'll write what's on the gun since it's hard to get it all in focus.
Please let me know if you can identify/price it!
Thanks!
anne

gun#3 photo is on bottom of trigger with #'s 63423, not in a straight line
gun#4 photo is on top of barrel with "Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works, Fitchburg, MA, USA
gun#5 photo which didn't upload is the bottom of the grip that says
"AT NOV.17.08 ATS/Pending"

[b.goforth]

anne,
this is a iver johnson's arms & cycle works 'small frame 32 S&W caliber third model safety automatic hammerless revolver'. the third model was manufactured between 1909 and 1941. there were two different letter code series used on this model, B01 in 1909 to B99999 in 1918 and I01 in 1919 to I38550 in 1941.

the main serial number location is under the grips on the left side. if the trigger guard number is the same as the one found under the grips on the left side then this revolver will have a B letter code.

serial number B63423 was manufactured in 1914, there were 7,900 of this model manufactured that year.

the bone grips are after market (added sometime after the revolver was purchased) and are not factory unless they turn out to be Ivory and not bone. all third model safety automatic revolvers were manufactured for smokeless powder cartridge pressures. if in good shooting condition you should not encounter probles with modern 32 S&W factory standard velocity loads.

value of this model is $75 to $250 depending on actual physical and mechanical condition. it does not look like much original finish is left on this revolver so i would drop the estimate to between $75 and $100.
bill

[annepark]

thank you! do you know how you can test whether they are ivory vs. bone?anne

[22WRF]

THE TEST:
The tried and true method to test ivory is the famous "hot pin test". This method is used by beginners and experts alike. Because true ivory is virtually impenetrable with heat, this is a good test and will
not damage the item if it is "real". Take a pin, large needle, or better yet a large straightened out
safety pin, and heat the tip RED-HOT. Poke the item somewhere that it will not show too bad. (Remove the grips and do this on the inside) If it is real ivory, it will NOT penetrate and only leave a tiny tiny mark. If it is a resin, it will enter the item and produce a little crater around the hole. Now the big test… smell the "smoke" that comes of the test as you are poking it. If it is real ivory, it will have that unmistakable
smell of the dentist's office when you had that root canal . It smells like burning
tooth (because it IS). If it smells like burning plastic, it IS. Now, bone is also resistant to heat, but
not as much as ivory. The smell is less (or hardly at all) and is different than that of burning tooth.
So in conclusion, if it resists heat, smells like crap, and has any grain (especially crosshatching), you have the real deal.

[Xracer]

The test 22WRF gave you is the definitive test to determine whether your handles are bone, ivory, or plastic.

But.....judging from the pix, I'll give you 10 to 1 those handles are bone.