AndyUSMC1107
Member
Good Morning! Wondering if any of you have come across/heard of this Fred Biffar & Co. (Chicago, IL.) trade marked (had nothing to do w/the Secret Service), merely his marketing ploy...SECRET SERVICE SPECIAL top break wheel gun?
He contracted w/ Iver Johnson/Meridian to produce a (roll-marked) SECRET SERVICE SPECIAL. Unique to and sold only by his large Hardware Store. Other than the SSS roll-mark on the barrel, the safety patent date, caliber and serial #, there is no manufacture’s name roll-marked.
What’s unique about this old revolver is the May 22, 1917 patented push button hammer block safety button (visible on the right side of the frame [patent date marked]). Caliber is 38 S&W 5 “beans.” Mother of Pearl grips. 5” barrel Nickel plated The 2 blade M of P pocket knife is also roll-marked Fred Biffar & Co. /Chicago Illinois. The Fred Biffar “GOOD LUCK trade token is seen at the top of the Display Case. Interesting factoid: reverse of token has a mirror image of the latter Nazi Swastika. Reversed Swastica (for lack of a better descriptor) was a Native American symbol for “good luck). This neat old “SSS” is pretty cool. Before I came across this “would be mine nìche” bit of wheelgun history, I’d never seen/heard of one before (not that my firearms knowledge is much past the 4th Grade...) Still only ankle-deep in the “wadeing (sp) pool...
An aside ?: I wonder why so many old revolvers came in the Nickel “flavor” standard (w/blued finish extra)? A little early 19th C. “flash” in the pocket...a little better corrosion resistance against the powders of the day...Anyone out there have a “knowledgeable” answer?
He contracted w/ Iver Johnson/Meridian to produce a (roll-marked) SECRET SERVICE SPECIAL. Unique to and sold only by his large Hardware Store. Other than the SSS roll-mark on the barrel, the safety patent date, caliber and serial #, there is no manufacture’s name roll-marked.
What’s unique about this old revolver is the May 22, 1917 patented push button hammer block safety button (visible on the right side of the frame [patent date marked]). Caliber is 38 S&W 5 “beans.” Mother of Pearl grips. 5” barrel Nickel plated The 2 blade M of P pocket knife is also roll-marked Fred Biffar & Co. /Chicago Illinois. The Fred Biffar “GOOD LUCK trade token is seen at the top of the Display Case. Interesting factoid: reverse of token has a mirror image of the latter Nazi Swastika. Reversed Swastica (for lack of a better descriptor) was a Native American symbol for “good luck). This neat old “SSS” is pretty cool. Before I came across this “would be mine nìche” bit of wheelgun history, I’d never seen/heard of one before (not that my firearms knowledge is much past the 4th Grade...) Still only ankle-deep in the “wadeing (sp) pool...
An aside ?: I wonder why so many old revolvers came in the Nickel “flavor” standard (w/blued finish extra)? A little early 19th C. “flash” in the pocket...a little better corrosion resistance against the powders of the day...Anyone out there have a “knowledgeable” answer?