Ruger presents the “NEW SUPER BLACKHAWK”.  View of the first advertisement from the American Rifleman magazine September 1959.

Standard frame Super Blackhawk s/n 10.  This gun is unfired from the factory.  #10 was manufactured in Jan. 1960 but not shipped from the factory until Aug. 1974 !!

Close-up view of Super #10’s serial number.

Cylinder frame roll mark, found on the Super’s left side.

Example of the standard trademark “Eagle” logo barrel address found on the majority of the Supers.

View of Super #10’s barrel address.  It is the rarer Blackhawk address without the Ruger trademark Eagle logo.

View of Super s/n 10’s fine figured standard size grip panels.

This is the very unusual “Odd” white cardboard box for s/n 10 Super Blackhawk.  This box has a mahogany case “Makers” label attached to its top.  I imagine it is a result of #10 being shipped in August 1974 with no mahogany case available.

Super #19 & #20 are both  rare “Long Frame” guns.  Both guns are new in their respective mahogany display cases.  #19 has the non-Eagle Blackhawk barrel address while #20 has the standard Super barrel address with the trademark Eagle logo.

Close-up view of Super #19’s serial number.  Pete Kuhlhoff, Argosy magazine’s Guns Editor, originally owned this gun.  Pete was also an author of some gun and shooting books.

Close-up of Super #20’s serial number.  Jack O’Connor, Outdoor Life magazine Shooting Editor, author and big game hunter originally owned this gun.

Close-up view of #19’s & #20’s beautiful “long frame” grip panels.  The grip frame and  grip panels are 1/10” longer than the standard grip frame and standard panels. (Ed. Note: See Bill's earlier article on Ruger Grip Frames)

Another rare NIB “Long Frame” Super, #221, pictured on top of its mahogany box.

Close-up view of #221’s serial number.

“Long Frame” Super #593 pictured on top of its properly numbered extremely rare outer brown cardboard shipping carton for its mahogany display case. These complete packages are quite unique.  (Note: shipping carton shrink-wrapped for protection).

Close-up view of Long Frame Super #593’s serial number.

Super #3307 is an early standard frame mahogany boxed gun with the Blackhawk Flattop “Eagle-less” barrel address.  The factory letter states that it has the “high polish” finish applied.

Close-up view of Super #3307’s serial number.

Super #3307’s outer brown cardboard shipping carton.  These shippers are extremely rare and unique, most were thrown away. (Note: shrink-wrapped for protection).

Close-up view of the “S47 SUPER BLACKHAWK” ink stamp found on the outer cardboard shipping carton.

Picture of the extremely rare outer cardboard shipping cartons for mahogany boxed guns #593 and #3307 and the White Box gun #8405. (Note: Glare is due to all shipping cartons being shrink wrapped for protection).

Advertisement for the mahogany boxed Super Blackhawk from inside the early 1960 catalog.  Retail price $120.

Top view of a Super Blackhawk mahogany display case.

Front view of a Super mahogany case showing the two brass latches.

Interior view of an empty opened mahogany case.

“Makers Label” found on the inside of the mahogany case’s top.

Mahogany case rear view showing the two brass hinges.

Mahogany case outside bottom view.

Close-up view of the “Genuine Mahogany” words  pressed into the outside bottom of the majority of the mahogany cases.

Close-up view of the interior cutout for a Standard grip frame at the bottom.

Close-up view of the interior cutout for a Long grip frame at the bottom.  Normally about 3/16” of wood is removed at the bottom of the grip frame area to accommodate the longer grip frame.

Examples of the standard “brass” hardware (top box) versus the rare ”nickel” plated hardware (bottom box) found on the Super Blackhawk mahogany cases.

Early “High Polish” mahogany boxed Super, #3526, without the Eagle logo in the barrel address.  Fairly rare early high polish gun. 

Left side view of high polish Super #3526, with its “Eagle-less” Flattop barrel address.

Close-up view of Super #3526’s serial number.

On the left is a view of the inside of the 1960 catalog advertising the Super Blackhawk with its mahogany box at $120.   On the right is the inside of the late 1960 catalog or 1961 catalog advertising the Super at its $116 lower price without the mahogany case.   

The words from the early 1960 catalog telling about the mahogany box.  Look toward the bottom of the “specifications”.

Advertisement from inside the late 1960 or 1961 catalog without the mahogany box after the box factory burned.  The retail price was lowered to $116 effective November 29, 1960.

The mid-1961 bulletin, probably a catalog insert, which among other things explains about the factory that made the mahogany boxes burning and the replacement of the wood boxes with a white cardboard box.

Example of the “White Box” guns packaging…box and slip-sleeve with the properly penciled serial number 10103.

Top view of Super #8405’s White Box slip-sleeve.

View White Box Super #10103 with rare Blackhawk “Flattop” barrel address without the trademark Ruger Eagle logo lying in its box.

Close-up view of Super #10103’s serial number.

View of Super #10103’s “Eagle-less” Blackhawk barrel address.

Picture of an extremely rare documented “Prototype” wooden display case that was submitted to Sturm, Ruger & Co. as a possible replacement for the Super’s mahogany case after the mahogany box factory burned.

View of the inside of the prototype display case.  The cutout for the gun is covered with a loose fitting red velour type material.

View of bottom inside showing the recess cutout for the gun to be laid with its barrel pointing to the left.

Another view of the inside of the prototype case.   If you look closely, you can see the recessed cutout for the gun and a cylinder.  The gun’s cylinder could be put in this cutout or and extra cylinder stored here.

Picture of the outside bottom of the prototype case.  It is covered in a purple velveteen material.