Originally Posted by
ccdjg
It is certainly a very interesting pistol Danny, with many contradictory features (at least as far as can be made out from the pictures). Without seeing the gun in the flesh it is impossible to say if this is an original WR modification, or a later modification made by a skilled enthusiast. The rear sight is consistent with the early version, yet the blued finish is suspiciously black and glossy for a century-old gun. The grip plates are of a type I have never come across before, and have elements of both the early and later versions. Thus they appear to be made of vulcanite as in the later version, rather than the horn used in the first version; the WR monogram is normally found only on the early version, yet the checkering is peculiar to the later version. The plates look very professionally made and would be difficult (but not impossible) for an amateur to duplicate. From what I can make out, the lettering is faint (you can only just about make out the word “Highest” on the cylinder, almost as though it has been surface etched) where the name “Highest Possible” would normally be heavily impressed. This suggests the metalwork may have been heavily abraded to remove pitting and then reblued. The serial number 5 would make it the earliest yet reported, and would make it virtually a prototype and so perhaps account for the different front sight, grip plates, and perhaps different type of lettering.
The date 1907 does not mean much of course, as it appears on all the Highest Possible pistols in the same location, and refers to the patent date.
I would love to have the opportunity to take this gun apart look at it properly!
Cheers
John