According to a letter from Smith & Wesson historian Roy Jinks (photocopy included) this revolver was shipped out on February 27, 1881 to New York City wholesaler M.W. Robinson. The letter notes that while no hard data verifying what Smith & Wesson New Model Number Three revolvers were shipped out on the "Australian Contract", this revolver falls within the accepted serial range that Australians are found in, and that Robinson was the chief agent who handled the Australian sales. Fitted with a pinned blade front sight and a fixed notch rear sight, with the two-line address and patent dates on top of the barrel rib, matching numbers on the barrel, cylinder and butt, and the factory 5-pointed star on the butt. Fitted with a casehardened hammer, blue trigger guard, proper drilling and cutting for a stock on the back strap and butt. With a hardwood buttstock, fitted with an unmarked blued steel mounting iron, mounting screws driven from left to right, and a S&W monogram checkered buttplate.

Very good as factory refinished, with 80% of the blue, showing a gray patina on the grip straps, bright edge wear, scattered handling marks and scratches, and some white spots on the barrel. Vivid case colors are present on the sides and back of the hammer, with some wear from operation. The side plate is slightly undersized. Grips are good, with some age cracking and a very attractive creamy brown color overall. The stock is very good, with some spotting on the hardware and mild handling marks. Mechanically fine.