During the Depression not many people had the coin loose to special order anything, and most of those who did were on the wealthy end to start with and NOT ordering Nitro Specials. So I'd say if the set was ordered then, it's unusual. If it was before 1928 or after 1938, not so much.
During the Depression many guns ordered in the late '20s never got picked up by "suddenly poor" customers and languished on gunshop racks until the shop went belly-up or the economy started to come back in the late '30s. My uncle came into San Pedro CA off a Standard Oil tanker with a small wad in 1938 and bought a brand new 16 guage Ithaca NID ejector double that had been ordered in 1929 and a First Model Colt Woodsman that had been sitting there for years too. Cash was King! Or Emperor. Or President-for-Life!
He was working for Standard in Honolulu on Dec. 7, 1941, and packed that .22 around until ordered back to CA in late 1942. (JIN "Special Naval Landing" troops beware!!!!!).
Last edited by Mike A.; 04/15/16 02:09 PM.
