Revolver Mod 1916 - Italian WWII use?

[Alan Smith]

Here are photos of a "REVOLVER MOD 1916 CAL 10-35" that I believe is of Italian manufacture. The gun is a WWII bring-back from North Africa, where it was reportedly "picked up out of a pile of surrendered weapons" by an unknown Allied serviceman. The Allied serviceman later transfered to the CBI Theater where, while in India c. May-June 1942, it ended up in the hands of a local WWII vet friend of mine who brought it home with him to the U.S. in June of 1944.

When he acquired the pistol, my vet friend was a draftsman in the Mapping Office of the Headquarters of the USAAC Tenth Air Force in New Delhi, India. Interestingly, part of his job was to issue the silk "escape" maps to aircrews, as well as the "Blood Chit" multi-lingual cloths for sewing onto the A-2 jackets.

BTW: The ivory grips currently on the pistol were custom made in New Delhi by a local craftsman, at the request of my vet friend. As you will see in the photos, only one of the original grips remains with the gun.

Does anyone know anything about these revolvers? Based on the acquisition story, I assume that such revolvers were used by Italian troops fighting in North Africa? The pistol still belongs to the vet, but I hope to eventually acquire it as it would be nice to add to some other WWII items I have that are documented as being picked up in North Africa.

Also, any idea on the monetary value of this gun (just in case the vet decides to sell it to me)?

[Alan Smith]

Other view

[Alan Smith]

#3

[Alan Smith]

#4

[Alan Smith]

#5

[Alan Smith]

#6

[Alan Smith]

#7

[Alan Smith]

#8

[Alan Smith]

The one (1) remaining original grip.

[Alan Smith]

The veteran with his war souvenir

[Alan Smith]

The veteran with his photo album and camera. He was an avid photographer and took lots of photos of his service time (in India) with the camera you see pictured. Nice guy and I enjoy visiting with him, even though he did not see any combat so he does not have any "exciting" stories of that nature.

[Johnny Peppers]

The revolver is one of the European knock-offs of a Smith & Wesson, even down to the "almost" S&W logo on the right side. Possibly a private purchase by an Italian soldier. Most were of dubious quality, and have no great collector value.
Knowing the history of that one does make it more interesting, and a collectible in it's on right. Beautiful old grips.

[Wolfsburg]

Looks very much like a copy of a Smith & Wesson No. 3...

[kanister]

This is a spanish Hermanos Orbea production, a copy of the Smith & Wesson.
Tettoni was an italian dealer that imported them in 1916 as a substitute of the Mod. 1889 also known as Bodeo that was in shortage in those years.

[Johnny Peppers]

Years ago I saw one of the Spanish copies of a small S&W revolver, and on the top of the rib on the barrel it had FOR in very tiny letters, then SMITH & WESSON in large letters, and then CTGS., again in tiny letters. Without looking carefully all you saw was the SMITH & WESSON. It had the same 'almost" S&W logo on the side of the frame.