What if your gun could talk?

[Waidmann]

I bought this a few years ago off an auction site. I wanted a .32-20 four incher, given the engraved sideplate, the price was more than reasonable. I wanted a shooter, I could always re-do the sideplate, all-in-all okay. Not long ago ago I wondered who is Harry Boyle, presumably of Arizona and was he in any way a person of significance? A little web surfing and I find his name in connection with the Arizona Biltmore a mere handful of miles from the pawn shop that sold this revolver. Mister Harry for thirty years was the General Manager of that inn the Wrigley family built as a playground for the wealthy. Harry according to the hotels website played host to the Gable honeymoon and they picture the memo where Nancy Davis called him personally to tell him she would be marrying Ronald Reagan the next day and would require a suite for their honeymoon. I can just imagine Harry patrolling the grounds with his dog Pat and his other companion under his jacket. The page covering Harry and Pat is in their menu if you visit the site. I have tried repeatedly to excise and tranfer the page without success. My next dilema is whether to gamble $50 to find out whether a celebrity admirer bought the gun or it was simply shipped to a retailer.
If this gun could only talk.............
Harry Boyle (right).jpg

[georgepittenger]

Nice background story .

With the Internet it's crazy what you can find .

Being a deluxe hotel , call the desk and ask for the concierge . It's his/her job to accomodate exceptional requests for guests . I would imagine that w a little explanation they would be happy to copy a page of the menu , or perhaps the entire original menu , and send it to you . Now that would be a very cool addition to the guns package .


Regards ,
George

[azmick]

The Arizona Biltmore is about as upscale as you would want in a honeymoon setting, or any other setting .Not only a hotel, but a golf course with private homes lining it. Glenn Cambell, Alice Cooper, baseball and basket ball players all call the place "Home".
The women all have bolt ons

[Waidmann]

I hadn't thought of acquiring an actual menu, good idea. I can dowload/print/save the document, but for some reason I could not attach and post the #$%^& thing. I am certainly not an electronics whiz.

What do you guys think about gambling the $50. Since the engraving is fairly pedestrian I am guessing the man had it done himeself. I imagine a grateful employer or guest would have chosen something else (in a gun) and either opted for presentation language or none at all. I have no illusions of grandeur for Harry, simply the off chance some celebrity might be connected to it.

[Oldgungeezer]

How very interesting Waidmann.............

I too have a S&W revolver with an engraved name (fancy script on the sideplate) and badge number from a famous individual..........a famous Texas LEO (from a famous LEO Family back to early statehood Texas Rangers) who has a high school named in his honor. I bought the piece long ago as a "shooter" at a bargain price in a gun shop (some 30 years ago) which now is long gone, but only blocks from where today the high school stands with the same name as on the gun.

I've often wondered about this piece................??????

Regards,

Geezer

[Waidmann]

Hi Geezer,
Its interesting for sure. Certainly you can at least assemble a good biography. I have my granddad's 5" 1905 HE .38 Special. I know it laid under his pillow from 1929-1982. Not an eventful existance. On the other hand I too have others that I wish I could have a conversation with.


Perhaps you could post a pic of your engraved gun and stir up something. I love a story.

Regards,
W.

[RDLouks]

If MY guns could talk..............they would most likely say: "Is That The Best You Can Do, Your Giving Me A Bad Name!" If you can't do any better than that, let someone that knows how to shoot give me a try!

[Oldgungeezer]

If MY guns could talk..............they would most likely say: "Is That The Best You Can Do, Your Giving Me A Bad Name!" If you can't do any better than that, let someone that knows how to shoot give me a try!

LOL...................

Regards,

Geezer

[Oldgungeezer]

Hi Geezer,
Its interesting for sure. Certainly you can at least assemble a good biography. I have my granddad's 5" 1905 HE .38 Special. I know it laid under his pillow from 1929-1982. Not an eventful existance. On the other hand I too have others that I wish I could have a conversation with.


Perhaps you could post a pic of your engraved gun and stir up something. I love a story.

Regards,
W.

Ya know Waidmann, I think I will.

I'm away from it right now, but when I return, I'll do that.

Regards,

Geezer

[1 old 0311]

Cool story.