Brothel Inspector's Revolver

[VegasND]

A guy I work with called me today and wanted to sell me his dad's old H&R revolver. It was made during WWII (1943-44 by the serial number) and his father had to be armed because he worked for Nye County Health until the late '60s. My co-worker doesn't know when his dad bought it or how long he carried it. According to the stories he's told me, one of the duties of his dad's job was to perform the health checks on the working girls.

Here's a crappy cell-phone picture of a used H&R Defender 5 shot revolver chambered in 38S&W.


Unfortunately, he has nothing at all that ties the revolver into the job his father had. I bought a cheap revolver today and I'll repeat the story knowing exactly what it's worth ...

[VegasND]

I also found a CZ52 at a local gun shop today and picked it up too. Here's a (maybe) better picture of the two of them together:

Going shooting in the morning!

[FourTenJaeger]

Nice, A piece of NV History!

[bruceflinch]

Cool story, Bro.
So was this "performing health checks on the working girls", a "hands on" experience?

[VegasND]

If half the stories this guy has told me about his dad are true, I'd say that's a sure bet.

Cool story, Bro.
So was this "performing health checks on the working girls", a "hands on" experience?

[bruceflinch]

If half the stories this guy has told me about his dad are true, I'd say that's a sure bet.

Lucky Bastard!

[VegasND]

Makes you wish you'd picked your career more carefully -- doesn't it?

Lucky Bastard!

[kouye]

What a cool thing to have on a resume...Brothel Inspector....

[bruceflinch]

Makes you wish you'd picked your career more carefully -- doesn't it?

Bet it is a tough Union to get into...

[hakenlag]

Well Ma'am, I am happy to see you but that actually is a gun in my pocket.

[Charlie50]

Well Ma'am, I am happy to see you but that actually is a gun in my pocket.

^^^^ this!

[Marcus von W.]

Somehow the grips don't look like they fit right - later incorrect replacements, maybe? But if the gun was carried in its official life like this, I'd leave them alone.

I'd get the guy you got it from to write up the history of the gun and his dad's use of it in his official capacity of cathouse inspector, or if he's not much into writing (some folks tell things better than they write them) write it up yourself as he describes it and have him sign it to verify it. Maybe get it notorized.... Even if it doesn't add monetary value to the gun, it is nice provenance that gives historical interest and value.

Also, you might be able to check with Nye County and get official county records or documents that would back up the oral history of the gun.

I don't know about other folks here, but I think a genuine, original, verified "clam inspector's" pistol with a link to Nevada's famous bordello's would be kind of cool to have. Maybe not in the same league as Bugsy Siegel's gun or something like that, but still a part of Nevada's history that reflects the state's "Wild West" history and culture.

[VegasND]

I don't think the grips fit well either, but he swears they are the grips his dad had on it. I'm guessing it was purchased used and those are the grips that came with it. I did take them off and cleaned some rust underneath. They look like the grips in pictures I found online.

It would be great if there was some kind of paperwork to tie his father to the job and the pistol but he has none. Getting this particular guy to sit still and create a record would be pretty unlikely.

Oh well, it's still an interesting story to tell.

Somehow the grips don't look like they fit right - later incorrect replacements, maybe? But if the gun was carried in its official life like this, I'd leave them alone.

I'd get the guy you got it from to write up the history of the gun and his dad's use of it in his official capacity of cathouse inspector, or if he's not much into writing (some folks tell things better than they write them) write it up yourself as he describes it and have him sign it to verify it. Maybe get it notorized.... Even if it doesn't add monetary value to the gun, it is nice provenance that gives historical interest and value.

Also, you might be able to check with Nye County and get official county records or documents that would back up the oral history of the gun.

I don't know about other folks here, but I think a genuine, original, verified "clam inspector's" pistol with a link to Nevada's famous bordello's would be kind of cool to have. Maybe not in the same league as Bugsy Siegel's gun or something like that, but still a part of Nevada's history that reflects the state's "Wild West" history and culture.

[E Michael]

That gun looks like it would be good fending off giant crabs.