Iver Johnson Arms Pistol

Object/Artifact

-

Waseca County History Center

Name/Title

Iver Johnson Arms Pistol

Entry/Object ID

96.08

Tags

Restricted

Description

Pistol by the Iver Johnson Manufacturing. Material: metal, rubber. Size: 6 1/2" L. Description: silver metal barrel; silver metal cylinder chamber; silver metal backstrap; black textured rubber grip riveted to metal handle and butt; owl face and decorative scroll work on each side; engraved on butt: "1 June 16.96 Aug 25.96 Pt. 16.04 Pats Pending"; stamped under trigger guard: "38754"; stamped on barrel top: "Iver Johnson Arms & Cycleworks, Fitchburg, Mass. U.S.A."

Context

Manufacturer, Iver Johnson Arms & Cycleworks, Fitchburg, Mass. U.S.A. 1871-1993 was one of America's premier (but little known) firearms manufacturers. MODEL: Safety Hammerless CALIBER: 32 Smith & Wesson YEAR MADE: 1900-1908 TYPE: small frame top break cylinder double action only 5-round cartridge revolver REMARKS: Iver Johnson immigrated to the USA from Norway in 1863, worked as a gunsmith, then cofounded Johnson & Bye in Worcester. Johnson bought out Martin Bye and moved the company to Fitchburg in 1891, Iver died in 1895, the factory built millions of good quality firearms into the 1970's. Leon Czolgosz shot President McKinley with a 32cal IJ similar to this one (that one has a 3" barrel and exposed hammer), he could've gotten the idea from emigrant Gaetano Bresci, who bought one then returned to Italy where he used it to kill a European king. Senator Kennedy was shot with a Model 55. Original 2" barrel, pretty accurate, concealed hammer, safety trigger. Information from Internet site: http://www.geocities.com/alancook.geo/alanguns.htm STORY OF PISTOL: Dr. Fred W. Prail was the second oldest dentist in Waseca; born in Waseca County to Sam Proechel, the well known blacksmith of Wilton. (From the Child's History of Waseca County Minnesota for Fifty Years 1854-1904.) Dr. Wesley Harvey Rethwill, Sr. originally from LeSueur, MN, established a dental practice in Waseca in 1924 joining Dr. Prail on the second floor of the old First National Bank building, 100 1/2 N. State St. A smaller room used to hold trash was also located on the second floor and emptied regularly by a custodian; while on his way home from work one night, Dr. Prail stopped to deposit the daily rubbish in the trash room and was surprised to find an itinerant there fast asleep. Dr. Prail removed a gun from the sleeping vagrant and made it his own. When Prail retired, he left the gun in the office. Dr. Wesley Howard Rethwill Jr. joined the dentistry practice in the 1960s. In 1965, the dental practice moved to a new building at 409 N. State St. where the father/son dentists practiced together until the elder Dr. Rethwill retired in 1975. The gun stayed in the office with the younger Dr. Rethwill that office building was razed c. 2005 to allow expansion of Waseca Medical Center; the younger Dr. Rethwill brought the gun to his home until it was donated to the County Historical Society in 2008. Manufacturer, Iver Johnson Arms & Cycleworks, Fitchburg, Mass. U.S.A. 1871-1993 was one of America's premier (but little known) firearms manufacturers. MODEL: Safety Hammerless CALIBER: 32 Smith & Wesson YEAR MADE: 1900-1908 TYPE: small frame top break cylinder double action only 5-round cartridge revolver REMARKS: Iver Johnson immigrated to the USA from Norway in 1863, worked as a gunsmith, then cofounded Johnson & Bye in Worcester. Johnson bought out Martin Bye and moved the company to Fitchburg in 1891, Iver died in 1895, the factory built millions of good quality firearms into the 1970's. Leon Czolgosz shot President McKinley with a 32cal IJ similar to this one (that one has a 3" barrel and exposed hammer), he could've gotten the idea from emigrant Gaetano Bresci, who bought one and then returned to Italy where he used it to kill a European king. Senator Kennedy was shot with a Model 55. Original 2" barrel, pretty accurate, concealed hammer, safety trigger. Information from Internet site: http://www.geocities.com/alancook.geo/alanguns.htm

Cataloged By

Legacy Photo Import

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Iver Johnson Arms & Cycleworks

Date made

circa 1900

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Pistol

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Firearms

Nomenclature Class

Armaments

Nomenclature Category

Category 05: Tools & Equipment for Science & Technology

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

Create Date

November 13, 2008

Update Date

October 9, 2026