These old boys look like they're having a pretty good time.
Who are they?
Who are they?
Title edit: old thread on Gun Re-Blu Company
- Thread starter weaselmeatgravy
- Start date
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contender
Ruger Guru
I ain't that old,,,,!
UmpquaCharlie
Buckeye
Is the middle guy J Edgar Hoover? or the other guy who was the worlds fasted six sot shooter???
pete44ru
Hunter
IIRC, the fella in the middle looks like J.H."Fitz" Fitzgerald (SP?), the Colt employee for whom the Colt Fitz Special was named for - but I don't know who the others might be.
http://www.shootingtimes.com/gunsmoke/0605/
http://www.soldusa.com/detail.asp?id=4826
http://www.shootingtimes.com/gunsmoke/0605/
http://www.soldusa.com/detail.asp?id=4826
I'm with Pete, looks like a Colt emblem ( logo) on his shirt, McGivern was doing S&Ws back then............never know though, it's before even MY time.... :roll:
Besides, the guns look like Colts, though the grips on the one he's holding look S&W but appear to have the Colt style 'longhorn' on them??
Besides, the guns look like Colts, though the grips on the one he's holding look S&W but appear to have the Colt style 'longhorn' on them??
From left to right . . . flatgate . . . rugerguy . . . wmg.
:mrgreen:
:mrgreen:
The one on the left can't WMG, he has more hair & there is not a pocket protector with Ruger on it in his shirt pocket & there is no computer in front on him :roll:
flatgate
Hawkeye
Harold Adams on the rt.?
Don Gowan in the middle?
?????
Good "stump the band" wmg.
flatgate
Don Gowan in the middle?
?????
Good "stump the band" wmg.
flatgate
OP
Flatgate takes the gold!
I posted this one for you, flatgate, as Don Gowan was the owner of the Gun Re-Blu Company, and I know you are always looking for informational tidbits on them.
The other two gents are D. B. McInduff (left) and Floyd Sutphin (right).
The picture is taped inside an original 1955 printing of Elmer Keith's SIXGUNS along with other photos, including this one taped just below the one posted above:
Look close and you will see that is an engraved tri-color Lightweight! Most likely done by Gun Re-Blu.
This copy of SIXGUNS came from the estate of a collector in West Asheville, North Carolina.
Other photos taped inside include a fancy tooled leather gun/knife rig with an engraved ivory gripped SAA and ivory handled bowie knife, and an engraved S&W M29 (or pre-29) lying on top of a letter from the Gun Re-Blu Company stating it to be a "44 Smith & Wesson Magnum ~ Elmer Keith's Personal gun ~ Barrel alterations, refinishing, engraving, and platinum inlay by THE GUN RE-BLU COMPANY and their craftsmen ~ Biltmore, North Carolina".
Taped in the back of the book is a signed print of Joe Bodrie, "The Fastest Gun Alive ~ Star of the Pontiac Dealers Road Show", dated 6-20-58 and stamped "Courtesy of Harry's Cadillac-Pontiac Co., Asheville, N.C."
Another pic of Gowan is taped to the inside cover.
I have a little more info for you flatgate, and will email it to you shortly.
I posted this one for you, flatgate, as Don Gowan was the owner of the Gun Re-Blu Company, and I know you are always looking for informational tidbits on them.
The other two gents are D. B. McInduff (left) and Floyd Sutphin (right).
The picture is taped inside an original 1955 printing of Elmer Keith's SIXGUNS along with other photos, including this one taped just below the one posted above:
Look close and you will see that is an engraved tri-color Lightweight! Most likely done by Gun Re-Blu.
This copy of SIXGUNS came from the estate of a collector in West Asheville, North Carolina.
Other photos taped inside include a fancy tooled leather gun/knife rig with an engraved ivory gripped SAA and ivory handled bowie knife, and an engraved S&W M29 (or pre-29) lying on top of a letter from the Gun Re-Blu Company stating it to be a "44 Smith & Wesson Magnum ~ Elmer Keith's Personal gun ~ Barrel alterations, refinishing, engraving, and platinum inlay by THE GUN RE-BLU COMPANY and their craftsmen ~ Biltmore, North Carolina".
Taped in the back of the book is a signed print of Joe Bodrie, "The Fastest Gun Alive ~ Star of the Pontiac Dealers Road Show", dated 6-20-58 and stamped "Courtesy of Harry's Cadillac-Pontiac Co., Asheville, N.C."
Another pic of Gowan is taped to the inside cover.
I have a little more info for you flatgate, and will email it to you shortly.
flatgate
Hawkeye
The grips on the gun in Don's hand got me going. Keith's Sixguns
mentions those "hand filling" ivories more than once!
I strongly believe one of our esteemed Ruger Forum members has one of those Gun Re-Blu Company's enhanced Single-Sixes! Awesome!
flatgate
PS That "Tri-Color's" cylinder sure is dark..... "S" gun.....???? Or, perhaps the shop swapped in an easier to engrave steel cylinder since the Martin Hard Coat cylinder probably "chipped all to heck" during the engraving.
mentions those "hand filling" ivories more than once!
I strongly believe one of our esteemed Ruger Forum members has one of those Gun Re-Blu Company's enhanced Single-Sixes! Awesome!
flatgate
PS That "Tri-Color's" cylinder sure is dark..... "S" gun.....???? Or, perhaps the shop swapped in an easier to engrave steel cylinder since the Martin Hard Coat cylinder probably "chipped all to heck" during the engraving.
OP
You're right about the cylinder - it does look like a blue steel one. The frame is definitely non-anodized alloy. The barrel engraving is in the white and looks like a match to the cylinder.
contender
Ruger Guru
OK WMG,,,,,,,,,,,,,, If you got that stuff out of my back yard w/o me looking we are gonna have to talk!!!!!!!
I know about the Gun Re-Blu Company that USED to be in Biltmore. Harry's Cadillac & Pontiac is still there. It's located close to West Asheville but not quite there.
So, where the heck did you get those items,,,,????
I know about the Gun Re-Blu Company that USED to be in Biltmore. Harry's Cadillac & Pontiac is still there. It's located close to West Asheville but not quite there.
So, where the heck did you get those items,,,,????
OP
Yeah, we know Gun Re-Blu is long gone. Flatgate was looking for info on the company a few months ago.
Maybe the "Caddy Shack" moved at some point? Here is that Bodrie print:
Maybe the "Caddy Shack" moved at some point? Here is that Bodrie print:
Sure would like to see the records of the Gun Re-Blu Co............ 8)
contender
Ruger Guru
Splitz,,,,,
You've given me an idea. Since Asheville is close by, I might just have to see if a bit of detective work could turn up anything,,,,!
Heck, you never know until you ask,,,,!
You've given me an idea. Since Asheville is close by, I might just have to see if a bit of detective work could turn up anything,,,,!
Heck, you never know until you ask,,,,!
contender":3ediiz4k said:
Thanks, Contender! If one goes to the chapter entitled Ornamentation in Keith's "Sixguns", there is commentary and photos of guns done by The Gun RE-BLU Co. I maintained contact with a gentleman who had inherited an early extensively embellished Ruger Single Six, SN 2434, along with a deeply carved belt and holster. No history with the items. However, I observe that the engraving on the revolver is distinctly similar to one shown in Keith's book. It has nearly 100% coverage, a gold washed barrel and cylinder, magnificent matching stags and well worth the fifteen plus years I waited to purchase this past April. Deep down, there must be some files on the Gun Re-Blu Co. that someone has squirreled away............ 8)
flatgate
Hawkeye
I have also seen one of those Gun Re-blu Single-Sixes. I dinked around with it at 3 or 4 Western gunshows before I let it slip away.....duh......
Contender, I too would appreciate any "leg work" you could do!
I sincerely believe Keith's s/n 15 Single-Six has a loading gate made by them.
flatgate
Contender, I too would appreciate any "leg work" you could do!
I sincerely believe Keith's s/n 15 Single-Six has a loading gate made by them.
flatgate
OOOOOOOOOHHH! The $21,000(w/SHI and Buyer's Premium) Single Six from the Martin Auction. I was phone bidding and listened to that sale.......... 8) Always will believe the Non-factory engraved Single Six w/Factory stags, box, papers and parts, that I bought shortly after,went so cheaply due to the shock factor on the $18,000 hammer price for SN 15 which had just preceded the revolver I won.......... 8) 
OP
I won a 4 digit boxed BKH4 at that auction. It turned out to be a re-blue, complete with last 3 digits of SN stamped on the front of the cylinder AND all 4 digits stamped on the back of cylinder. Seemed like overkill to me! I was pretty riled up about the re-blue but they accepted my counter-offer and refunded the difference. Ended up selling the gun, keeping the box.
Over the years, I've thought about that gun and the fact that it was at the same sale as the #15 RSS. Wondered if it could have also been a Keith-owned gun. The finish was a very nice high polish and the sides of the hammer looked like a mirror - I could never figure out if it was plated or just extremely high polished. Now I have to add the Gun Re-Blu Company into the equation regarding my pondering of that one...
Over the years, I've thought about that gun and the fact that it was at the same sale as the #15 RSS. Wondered if it could have also been a Keith-owned gun. The finish was a very nice high polish and the sides of the hammer looked like a mirror - I could never figure out if it was plated or just extremely high polished. Now I have to add the Gun Re-Blu Company into the equation regarding my pondering of that one...
Pondering past decisions that resulted in getting rid of a gun can be exceedingly depressing . . .
:-(
:-(
