Need help identifying old handguns

[Hockeygirl97]

I just inherited 4 handguns and need some help with identification and value.

1. Colt Police Positive 38 / Serial # 346475
Colt Hartford, CT Pat Aug 5, 1884; Jul 4, 1905; Oct 5, 1926 (6 shot revolver)

There is an inscription along the back of the grip: "Gift of appreciation to Geb E Coogan from S St M Assn Hammond, IN for confessions of bombers of 1,700,000 St Theater April 5, 1928"

2. H & R Arms Company / New Defender (9 Shot) / 22 Long Rifle CTG / Serial # D8282 Pat 1904730 (9 shot revolver)

3. CDM Products, Inc. New York, NY / 22 Caliber Short Model CDM Serial # 168595 (6 shot revolver)

4. Smith & Wesson / 32 Long CTG / Serial # 213712 (6 shot revolver)

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Jim Watson]

Sorry, I can't guess dollar values of guns I can't see and don't plan to buy. Otherwise...

1. Colt Police Positive of that number was made in 1931. Caliber is .38 Colt Police Positive or New Police, which is the same as .38 Smith & Wesson. NOT .38 Special (unless the gun is really a Police Positive Special and is marked for .38 Special.)
A Police Positive Special of that number was made in 1928 which ties it better to the inscription, and would likely be chambered for .38 Special. Either way, the gun is a good standard revolver.
The inscription is Fascinating. I would be all over the newspaper morgue looking up stories on a theatre bombing and finding out who Geb E Coogan was and how he wrung a confession out of the perpetrator.

2. H&R was a second line but reputable maker. The New Defender was a snubby on the same action as the Sportsman, about their second most expensive model. Probably made before WW II, but I cannot tie it down any closer than that.

3. Never heard of a CDM revolver, sorry.

4. A S&W of that number is likely a .32 Hand Ejector Model of 1903, Fifth Change, made between 1910 and 1917. Another top quality gun of its day... or still, if in good condition.

 

[SDC]

CDM was a reseller/distributor of RG-style revolvers before the GCA 68.

 

[Jim Watson]

Well, that is just too bad.

For the benefit of the O.P., an RG is a cheap and nasty gun made in Germany, the opposite of what you think of as old world craftsmanship. It is not comparable to any of the others, including the H&R.

 

[Hockeygirl97]

Thank you for the information! I have been researching the inscription on the Colt. The most I can find is that the ST M was an aircraft used for bombing in WWI. Geb Coogan is a very distant relative of my Husbands Mother. The State Theater in Hammond, IN is likely where they held the ceremony to present it to Mr. Coogan - in 1928. That theater is no longer there.

The CDM is in rough shape. My Mother-in-law carried it in her purse for at least the last 30 years. The other 3 are in good condition. I have photos that I tried to attach, but the files are too large. I will work on reducing them and attach them here soon.

 

[SDC]

Hockeygirl, I think you may be on the wrong track with your WW1 bomber hypothesis; during the mid-to-late 1920s, there was a lot of "labour unrest" in the theatre/cinema industry (as elsewhere), and one of the consequences of this was, believe it or not, a whole series of theatre bombings. This happened throughout the midwest, including in Hammond, Indiana, and the State Theatre in Hammond was bombed on Nov. 8, 1927 (see http://www.hammondindiana.com/20thcentury/time_capsule38.htm ); this is likely the incident referred to on the Colt, and I'd be trying to find out everything I could about that incident to find out "the rest of the story".

PS: see also http://cinematreasures.org/theater/4225/

 

[Ron James]

The S St M Assn. stands for The State Street Merchants Association. It does not stand for a WWI aircraft I believe it is as SDC posted. Not only was there a lot of labor unrest there were a lot of black business bombed. I was also was hooked by the inscription and did research Your distance relative must have been a police officer at the time and was able to get a confession from one of the suspects. Also in reference to the CDM firearm, CDM " Criterion Die and Machine ", out of, I believe South Carolina put together small revolvers from Imported Rohm parts ( before they closed that loop hole ) The value on that one is minimal.

 

[Hockeygirl97]

This is great! I was hoping you all could help decipher the inscription. I have confimed the Mr. Coogan was a Police Officer in Indiana. Thank you so much for all of you help!

 

[Hockeygirl97]

I am attaching photos of the Colt, the New Defender, and the Smith & Wesson.

With the help of your postings, the following inscription on the Colt:

"Gift of appreciation to Geb E Coogan from S St M Assn Hammond, IN for confessions of bombers of 1,700,000 St Theater April 5, 1928"

means:

Gift of appreciation to Ged E Coogan from the State Street Merchants Association - Hammond, Indiana - for confessions of the bombers of the State Theater (in Hammond Indiana) April 5, 1928

I have determined that Ged was a police officer and must have had something to do with apprehending the bombers of the State Theater on November 8, 1927

If anyone has any further input, It would be appreciated. I have sent an inquiry to the Hammond, IN Historical Society as well.

 

[Clermont]

CDM was located on Wooster Street in Manhattan where the revolvers were manufactured and assembled. It's possible the small parts were imported, but CDM manufactured the potmetal frame. It was a law enacted in the early 1970s by either New York City or New York State that required handgun frames manufactured or sold in NYC/NYS to meet a standard melting point temperature, which CDM's frames failed, causing CDM to cease operations.

 

[Ron James]

Thanks Louis, I wasn't sure on CDM's address.