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Francis Bacon, Religious Meditations, Of
Heresies, 1597
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TITLE:
The Standard Catalog Of Smith
& Wesson, 3rd Ed.
AUTHOR: Jim Supica & Rick
Nahaus
Publisher: Gun
Digest Books
ISBN 13:
978-0-89689-293-4
ISBN 10:
0-89689-293-X
Lib. of Con.:
2005931490
Year:
2005
Page Count:
192 pages
This is the third
edition of what is widely accepted to be the definitive reference book
on the subject of Smith & Wesson firearms.
The authors present the individual guns and
their
variations in a clear and accessible format that benefits both the
layman and the serious researcher. Market prices, always a bugaboo in
any book of this sort, are as can be expected; good for the exact
moment the book was sent to the printers, but subject to regional
variations and dated by the time the book leaves the publisher. This is
not a criticism, as a sharp reader can use these figures as a starting
point and then factor in relevant variables and make an educated
estimate of value.
A welcome addition to the third edition has been the
inclusion of small 'chapters' by knowledgable collectors that shed more
light on specific aspects of S&W that might not otherwise be known.
These small (and some not so small) chapters deal with grips and boxes
as well as special variations. This serves to give the book less of a
'catalog' feel and help the layman understand some of the more obscure
and finer points especially as regards rarity and related pricing.
The quality, quantity and variety of the images
exceed the first two editions handily. In fact the third edition is
easily twice as long as the now scarce first edition. The wide variety
of images, even within a single variation of one model, show that as
the books effects on the S&W collecting fraternity are felt, it has
become a feather in the cap of serious collectors to have one of their
prized pieces appear in this book.
In addition to the specifics on different models,
the book also has an excellent series of serial number tables, a guide
to S&W belt buckles and knives and a chapter dealing with S&W
publications.
Absolutely required reading for anyone with an
interest in anything by Smith & Wesson. I consider this to be an
essential reference.
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Email: robert@vivasandson.com