Q: I purchased this .22-cal., six-shot, double-action revolver with a very good bore at auction. The barrel is 1.5" long, octagonal and engraved. Can you tell me more about it?
A: The name on the topstrap, “Juan Canedo, Buenos Aires,” is that of the dealer who imported this revolver from Belgium, had his name engraved on it and sold it in his gun store in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The three marks stamped on the right side of the frame, just forward of the cylinder, are Belgian government test and approval marks. The Crown/R indicates that the barrel is rifled. The “AH” is probably the initials of the inspector, and the lion mark indicates that smokeless cartridges can be used in addition to blackpowder cartridges.
Canedo’s shop was situated at 611 Rivadavia in Buenos Aires and was in business from 1857 through the 1930s. A variety of guns and ammunition bears his name, confirming that Canedo was a long-established importer of firearms.
—Michael F. Carrick, Contributing Editor
