President Roosevelt’s Smith & Wesson Up For Auction

President Theodore Roosevelt’s Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 revolver is going up for sale in Rock Island Auction Company’s December Premier Auction.

America and firearms are intrinsically linked, yet there are only a handful of presidents who we commonly associate with their use. President Theodore Roosevelt is certainly one of them, and his Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 single-action revolver will soon be up for grabs in Rock Island Auction Company’s December Premier Auction.

The revolver remains in excellent condition, sporting classic Smith & Wesson factory engraving and a blued finish. Unlike most S&W New Model No. 3 revolvers, however, this example is chambered for .38 Long Colt instead of .44 Smith & Wesson Russian. This makes it unique even beyond its historical provenance.

An included factory letter proves that the Smith revolver was sent to a “Colonel Roosevelt” on May 12, 1898, as he was departing to San Antonio to train the Rough Riders. After his passing, corroborating evidence implies that the gun was then given to James Amos, President Roosevelt’s former valet and bodyguard. Amos reported that the president routinely kept the Smith & Wesson on his nightstand when sleeping in the White House. The revolver was likely passed down through Amos’ family until being sold.

Now, if you have deep pockets, President Roosevelt’s Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 could be yours. It will be listed in Rock Island Auction Company’s December Premier Auction (Dec. 9 through Dec. 11) and is estimated to fetch between $800,000 and $1,400,000.

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For more information on the revolver or the upcoming auction, please visit rockislandauction.com.

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