The S&W Ladysmith and LadySmith are a series of small revolvers. Manufacturing started in the early 20th century. These early models (branded Ladysmith) were .22 caliber. In the 1980s, S&W started manufacturing several short-barreled revolvers and semi-automatic pitols in .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and 9mm Parabellum.
The early Ladysmith frame was manufactured on the M-frame, while the later LadySmith revolvers were manufactured on the larger J-frame, S&W's standard small-frame revolver. The tiny M-frame .22" hand-ejector Ladysmith revolver was produced from 1902 through 1921.
The LadySmith is also carried by Elizabeth Peters' character Amelia Peabody.