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SMITH & WESSON NO. 1 REVOLVER BELONGING TO THE

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:3,750.00 USD Estimated At:7,500.00 - 12,500.00 USD
SMITH & WESSON NO. 1 REVOLVER BELONGING TO THE

STORIED "FANNY SWEET / NEW ORLEANS". Cal. 22 S RF. S# 113597. An internet search revealed boundless information about the storied life of Fanny Sweet who wasn't so sweet. The investigative blog by J'aime Rubio described her unbelievable life and tries to separate the truth from the fiction. Allegedly born Rachel Fanny Brown in Rome, Ohio, January 9, 1826, she endured a traumatic childhood. Her questionable reputation included that of a madame, a lesbian cross dresser, practitioner of voodoo, thief, murderer & Confederate spy. During her life she used many aliases, including Fanny Smith, Fanny Seymour, Minerva Seymour, Fanny Hinkley, Fanny Mills, & Fanny Sweet. Her concocted identity claimed she was born in London, England & she even perfected a Cockney accent to aid in the deception. Rachel Fanny apparently spent time in Cleveland, Ohio as a child & later New Orleans & West Virginia before marrying a Mr. Smith from New York. By 1847, she had travelled to New Orleans where she allegedly began her career as a prostitute. In 1849, she went to Sacramento, California during the height of the gold rush where she ran another brothel and gained her unsavory reputation after allegedly shooting a man before fleeing to New Orleans. She reportedly died in Pensacola, Florida in 1895. Her crypt is located in the Saint Louis Cemetery #3 in New Orleans and is marked "Tomb of Mrs. F.M. Hinkley-Mills" and "Aunt Fanny" below a broken cross. This highly finished revolver has a 3 3/16" round bbl. with rib & semi circular sight. Seven shot fluted cylinder. Tip up action with spur trigger. Action & cylinder have 75% coverage of foliate, arabesque & geometric engraving. Frame & barrel are nickel plated. Cylinder & ejector pin are gold washed. Backstrap is inscribed "Fanny Sweet / New Orleans". Two piece pearl bird's head grips. Approx. 131,163 mfg. 1868-1881. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: early style Gutta Percha case as made for No. 1 first issue revolvers. Lid of case is decorated with a first issue revolver having Smith & Wesson markings with scroll highlights in corners & images of small revolvers bordering the upper & lower edges. Inside of lid has purple velour lining with grape vine embossing. Bottom of case has faded red cloth lining with cartridge block containing 47 rds. of .22 S & 1 rd. of CB cap ammo & slotted tip iron cleaning rod. Case shows restoration w/ painted surfaces & glued interior seams. Revolver & case are housed in a modern laminated wood storage box measuring 13.5" long by 7" wide by 4.5" high. CONDITION: frame & barrel retain over 85% nickel finish showing small dents & marks. Cylinder & ejector rod retain 30% dull gold wash. Very good pearl grips. Good mechanics. Lightly pitted bore with intact rifling. (01-20207/DS). ANTIQUE. $7,500-12,500.