1877 revolvers were factory engraved , and the platform ’ s heavy use with lawmen and outlaws like John Wesley Hardin , Billy the Kid , and Pat Garrett resulted in comparatively few examples surviving in exceptional condition .
The Colt Model 1877 has often been overshadowed by the Single Action Army in the collecting world , yet Colt ’ s first double action revolver shares a similar legacy and artistry , including the same factory engravers . The Model 1877 platform has seen notable growth over the last few years , with two examples engraved by master artisan Cuno Helfrict earning $ 176,250 and $ 323,125 in recent Rock Island Auction Company sales , the latter more than doubling its high estimate . Thankfully , enviable examples can be found for less , but even the highest tier of the 1877 genre is substantially more affordable than the seven-figure arms seen atop the Single Action Army market .
Classic Smith & Wesson Revolvers
Colt wasn ’ t the only wheel gun brand to see service on the American frontier . Since 1857 , Smith & Wesson has produced some of the finest revolvers in the genre . With millions of antique and curio examples manufactured across countless models , patterns , and variants , the Smith & Wesson collecting field offers options for a wide range of financial aspirations .
Noted Smith & Wesson collector Ray A . Cheely sought the best of the best , stating that , “ The three most important considerations in collecting are : condition , condition , and condition .” While Mr . Cheely ’ s sentiment applies to most collecting platforms , his advice holds particularly true in the fine arms field , where the difference between excellent and near-mint condition gradings can result in dramatically higher values . In the Smith & Wesson collecting community , a vintage revolver in exceptional condition is still often dubbed of “ Cheely Quality ,” and this level of investment can be acquired at a far lower price point compared to high-end Colt revolvers .
Smith & Wesson revolvers carry a similar appeal to their Colt counterparts as well , as exampled by late 19th century models like the Smith & Wesson Schofield and New Model No . 3 and their prominence as frontier sidearms . While Theodore Roosevelt ’ s New Model No . 3 realized $ 910,625 in Rock Island Auction Company ’ s December 2022 Premier Auction , the most expensive Smith & Wesson to ever sell , a Gustave Young panel scene engraved revolver of the same model realized $ 94,000 during the same auction , a “ Cheely Quality ” investment arm attained at a fraction of the cost of a comparable Colt Single Action Army .
PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE 57