Iver Johnson 32 Hammerless Revolver Parkerized?

[AndyUSMC]

Here is a .32 cal. Iver Johnson top break hammerless. It came from the estate of a WW2-Korea US Army Officer. It was

parkerized at some point. Perhaps he had this done? I have never seen one in this finish. Please let me know if you know

anything about this.

Thanks

[blitzkrieg gsd]

Good looking pistol but I agree I think it was parkerized sometime after it left the factory.

[kwill]

Pate reports that the Navy placed at least three orders but all in .22 or .38; none in .32.

 

Regards,

Kevin Williams

[Jack's Son]

I would like to see more of the pistol if you care to share more.

[gunbarrel]

I'll have to dig up my copy of Charlie Pate's book on U.S. Handguns of WWII, but I believe the British bought a number of these in WWII as part of the Lend Lease arrangement. Does it have any British proof marks?

[d6t]

I'll have to dig up my copy of Charlie Pate's book on U.S. Handguns of WWII, but I believe the British bought a number of these in WWII as part of the Lend Lease arrangement. Does it have any British proof marks?

 

Once you find the book, I am wondering if those marks might take the form of altered original numbers on the butt portion of the grip.

 

I am a MA native and small-scale collector of Iver Johnson, H&R, etc.

[AndyUSMC]

No British proof marks. The serial number is unaltered.

Just a note. My business was burglerized last week, and this pistol was stolen along with a buch of other stuff. Amazingly enough the police caught the guy within an hour, and I should be getting all of my property back this week. The guy was booked on 3 felonies, so he'll probably be going away for a while.

[gunbarrel]

Andy,

I'm glad they got the perp and you are getting you stuff back.

 

 

d6t,

Finally got around to looking up IJ info on Charlie Pate's book. Pages of info there.

 

First on sales to the U.S. military:

 

On the request of a U.S. Senator, in 1931 the U.S. Navy listed IJ .38 cal revolvers in their inventory, but there is no further info on them. In September 1942 IJ received an order, also from the Navy, for 1,500 .38 cal revolvers. But, by the time they were purchased, the Navy had already received the S&W .38 Spl. Victory models and they IJ's didn't see much use, if any. So, in January 1944 the Navy offered the revolvers to the OSS, who used them for training.Click on this link and you will see one of these revolvers in the SA museum:

 

http://ww2.rediscov.com/spring/VFPCGI.exe?IDCFile=/spring/DETAILS.IDC,SPECIFIC=13865,DATABASE=objects,

 

Arming the Brits:

 

The Brits bought at least 3,300 IJ revolvers, mostly in .38 cal, but a few in .32 cal. An order from supplier Grant & Lacey for 761 revolvers IJ revolvers in August 1942 listed both .38 and .32 cal revolvers. If I undestand correctly, these revolvers were marked with the British acceptance mark of the broad arrow /|\ At the end of the War, when they were sold as surplus, they were also marked with British civilian proof marks.

 

Finally, I thought you all may get a kick out of this magazine ad. How times have changed! :-)

 

[1A291E]

I have the very same pistol, but it's Nickle Plated....my Dad bought it in 1958 before he left for Egypt/Gaza Strip in 1959 with the 1st UN Peace Keeping Force...he gave it to Mom as self protection while he was away...and I know it's not been fired since Dad took her to the small arms range on the Base. I just dug it out...I had forgotten I had it!!

 

Does anyone have an idea as to their value now days????

 

Steve