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LOT 3126
Exceptional N. Curry & Bro. San Francisco Retailer Marked Philadelphia Deringer Percussion Pocket Pistol - Serial no. 6, 42 cal., 2 inch flat top round bbl., brown/casehardened/German silver finish, walnut stock. In 1863, Nathaniel and John Curry inherited their brother Charles’s business and operated as wholesalers and sales agents for Henry Deringer’s popular pocket pistols and rifles. They also sold the forgeries made by Slotter & Co. and remained active dealers through the “Silver Age” until 1886 when they sold the firm to Charles Ladd. The barrel has seven-groove rifling and a faux Damascus finish and is marked “N. CURRY & BRO./SAN FRANCO CALA/AGENTS,” and a “P” and “DERINGER/PHILADELA” is on the German silver banded breech plug. The lock is also marked “DERINGER/PHILADELA.” The breech plug, lock, and German silver furniture have primarily scroll engraving, and the butt also has a small cap compartment. “6” is marked on the trigger guard tang, wedge, barrel, breechplug, and cap compartment lid. CONDITION: Extremely fine with 85% plus of the brown finish on the barrel and attractive “Damascus” patterns, light original case colors, aged patina and some minor verdigris on the German silver, crisp engraving and markings, and mild overall wear. The stock is fine and has crisp checkering, a crack on the left side of the forend tip, and mild handling wear. Mechanically fine. Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 3127
Exceptional Shreve & Co. San Francisco Retailer Marked Elgin National Watch Co. Hunting Pocket Watch with Inscribed and Finely Engraved 14K Solid Multi-Color Gold Case - The Elgin National Watch Co. was in operation in Elgin, Illinois, from 1864 to 1968, with this specific watch being manufactured c. 1887. The Model 1 movement is in the typical hunting configuration, grade 67, size 6s, and is of 15 jewels. The back of the movement is marked with the standard Elgin National Watch Co. address, “Safety Pinion”, and is numbered “2347232”. The face of the watch is white porcelain with black enameled Arabic numerals and “SHREVE & Co./SAN FRANCISCO.” at the center, black hands, and an inset chronograph at the 6 o’clock position. The 14K solid multi-color gold case is mostly of rose gold and masterfully engraved with near full coverage floral scroll and border engraving with silver and gold inlaid flowers and a stylized “EK” monogram engraved in the center escutcheon on the front. All parts of the case are numbered “15937” with 14K gold hallmarks. The outside of the inner movement lid is engraved “Mother/FROM/Thomas/’93”. Includes a hardwood jewelry style case with “S. REYMOND/GENEVA” marked on the interior. CONDITION: Excellent overall, the case showing bright gold and silver with minimal light handling marks, a few light scratches on the glass, and the face crisp and clean. The movement appears to function as it should. The hardwood case is fine with mild wear to the original lining. Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
LOT 3128 Outstanding Engraved Slotter & Co. “J. Deringer” Percussion Pocket Pistol - Serial no. 16, 41 cal., 1 1/4 inch flat top round bbl., blue/casehardened/German silver finish, walnut stock. These “J. Deringer” pistols were manufactured by Slotter & Co. of Philadelphia in the 1860s. John Deringer, reportedly a butcher or tailor with no connection to the gun trade, was hired by Frederick and Henry Schlotterbeck, former employees of Henry Deringer, to help them legally manufacture pistols with the Deringer name on them. The numbers on the pistol have been suggested to be inventory numbers for A.J. Plate of San Francisco rather than serial numbers. Plate was known to have purchased pistols from Slotter & Co. due to the high demand for Henry Deringer’s pocket pistols in California and was sued by Henry Deringer for copyright infringement. “16” is marked on the wedge, bottom of the barrel and breech plug, trigger guard tang, and toe of the stock. The barrel has attractive false Damascus patterns, six-groove rifling, a brass blade front sight, “WART/STEEL” on the right, scroll engraving and “J. DERINGER/PHILADELA” on the breech plug, and a notch rear sight on the tang. The lock also has “J. DERINGER/ PHILADELA” and scroll engraving. The furniture is German silver, and only the trigger guard is engraved. The stock has multi-point checkering. CONDITION: Excellent with essentially all of the original blue and casehardened finish remaining, bright German silver furniture with some slight verdigris, and minimal age and handling related wear overall. The stock is also excellent aside from the small split in the forend tip on the left and has crisp checkering and some small dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. This is definitely one of the finer “J. Deringer” pocket pistols we have seen. Estimate: 5,000 - 7,000 LOT 3129 Exceptionally Fine and Desirable Engraved Henry Deringer Percussion Pocket Pistol - NSN, 41 cal., 2 1/4 inch flat top round bbl., brown/casehardened/German silver finish, walnut stock. This classic example of a Henry Deringer pocket sized pistol and features the seven-groove rifling, the brown and copper vein “false Damascus” finish on the barrel, separate breech with silver bands and “DERINGER/PHILADELA” markings, and the “DERINGER/PHILADELA” marking on the lock. The lock, upper tang, and German silver furniture have primarily scroll and floral pattern engraving. The bird’s head stock has checkering on the wrist and a small cap compartment on the butt. CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, retains 90% of the original brown finish on the barrel and strong patterns of the original case colors in sheltered areas with the balance mostly a smooth grey patina and mostly bright German silver. The stock is fine with stabilized hairline cracks in the left of the wrist and butt, a pinhole to the left of the upper tang, and otherwise generally light handling marks. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 2,750 - 4,250
LOT 3130
Robert Lingard Acid Etched Blade American Hunting Knife with Sheath - Manufactured in the mid-19th century by Robert Lingard of Sheffield, England. It measures 10 3/8 inches overall with a 5 3/4 inch clip point blade. The left side of the blade is etched with “AMERICAN HUNTING KNIFE” in a banner over an eagle with wings spread. The left ricasso is marked “R. LINGARD/PEACROFT/SHEFFIELD”. The oval guard is of German silver with a silver ferrule below it marked “RD310845” twice. The grip is of spiral fluted antique ivory. The included sheath is of brown leather with gilt floral decoration and German silver fittings. CONDITION: Fine, the blade is mostly bright with some scattered patches of darker grey oxidation and the etching somewhat faint, but visible. The German silver and silver show an attractively aged patina. The grip is fine with a hairline age crack in the right and some age darkening. The sheath is also fine with a partially split edge, moderate wear, and aged patina on the fittings.
Estimate: 1,400 - 2,250 89