Skip to main content

MS 104 - Nicholas Kusmit Engraving Records

 Collection
Identifier: MS 104

Abstract

Two sets of copies of notebooks kept by Nicholas Kusmit to record his Custom Shop work for the Winchester Repeating Arms Company Custom Shop, and later as part of the Olin Corporation.  The white notebooks are simply photocopies of the various notebooks he kept, while the Winchesters That I Have Engraved volumes are prints from digital scans, which are all on CD-Rom at the beginning of the series. Nick’s format for his diaries is:  Left side page lists completed guns with summary of daily labor line items (along with many personal events/observations).  Right side page lists daily labor operations. The completed gun summary usually lists along with the gun particulars, disposition (sometimes) and serial number (most times), the 12-digit hyphenated “gun number” & hyphenated “order number” (which always begins with two digits followed by three digits followed by a combination of letters and numbers of varying length - more on the terminology and structure of these two numbers later in this correspondence). For 1922632 you will see labor logged on August 24, 27, 28, and 29, all keyed to “7702” (the last four numbers in the “gun number” 3052-862-7702).  The “order number” is 06-498-WH90H.  I’ve concluded that 06 is the state code for Connecticut, 498 is the number unique to the Connecticut dealer placing the order for this gun, and WH90H is the actual order number.

Dates

  • Created: 1952-1981
  • Other: Date acquired: 12/21/1998

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

McCracken Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials. Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation or publication. Contact McCracken Research Library for more information.

Biographical or Historical Information

Nicholas (Nick) Kusmit, Sr., (May 31, 1918 – December 13, 2010); Born in New Haven on May 31, 1918; to William Kuzmycz and Anna Cymbalista Kuzmycz, he was one of 10 children.  He graduated from Commercial High School and the Paier School of Art and was a master gun engraver for the former Winchester-Olin Corporation for 30 years.  Throughout his career in master gun engraving, Nicholas engraved many different guns for many famous people throughout the world.  His engraving crafts were documented in many books and many of his guns and sketches are on display in the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody Firearms Museum.  He married Judy Thompson Kusmit.  Together they raised their children Michael, Nicholas Jr., Thomas, and Christopher.

Note written by Courtesy of the Record-Journal and New Hampshire Register

Extent

1.00 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement Note

The Nicholas Kusmit Engraving Records Collection (No. 104) is arranged into two series by copy type, as follows: Outline of Series Arrangement             White Bound Notebooks– Box 1             Blue Bound Volumes – Box 1

Physical Access Requirements

No viewing without curatorial approval.  No photocopies.

Source of Acquisition

Leigh F. Coffin

Method of Acquisition

Gift in memory of Charles L. and Lucrettia L. (Leigh) Coffin

Author
Samantha L. Harper, 2013
Description rules
Other Unmapped
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Eng

Repository Details

Part of the McCracken Research Library Repository

Contact:
720 Sheridan Ave.
Cody WY 82414-3428 US
307-578-4059