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The Liberty Bell Pistols
LOT 1213
Incredibly Rare Documented Silver Mounted Pair of Peter Kunz Flintlock Kentucky Pistols, “The Liberty Bell Pistols,” with Case and Accessories -A) Peter Kunz Flintlock Pistol
- NSN, 40 cal., 8 7/8 inch octagon bbl., bright/ silver finish, curly maple stock. This incredibly
rare pair of American flintlock “Kentucky pistols” were manufactured c. 1810-1820 by Peter Kunz (1790-1862) who was trained in Allentown and worked in nearby Whitehall Township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. His brother Jacob (1780- 1876) was also a talented gunmaker and later moved to Philadelphia. The Kunz brothers are widely regarded as among the finest American gun makers of the “Golden Age” in the early national period, and these pistols are an excellent demonstration of why. The smoothbore barrels are equipped with dovetailed brass blade front and notch rear sights, inlaid with decorative silver and brass panels around the rear sight, lightly engraved, signed “P. KUNZ” in brass panels just ahead of the rear sights, and have engraved
tangs. The “W./ALLPORT” marked locks from Birmingham lock maker William Allport suggest they were manufactured c. 1807-1823 and feature frizzen spring rollers and simple border and floral engraving. The furniture and accents are silver and feature attractive floral and scroll engraving. The curly maple birds-head grip stocks have checkered wrists, three cross shaped inlays to the sides of
the barrel tangs, and a dark red “violin varnish” finish. They come in a later wood case modified to fit the pistols and decorated with painted floral patterns. The case also contains a powder measure, ball mold, worm, and an “M17” marked inventory tag. A similar pistol by Peter Kunz is pictured in “Kentucky Rifles & Pistols 1750-1850”
by James Johnson on pg. 240 and is also pictured in the article “Evolution of the Pennsylvania Rifle” by Crosby Milliman within the American Society of Arms Collectors’“Long Arms in America Volume 1” and identified as manufactured in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, c. 1810. The mate to the latter pistol was sold in May 2021 by Rock Island Auction Company.
This pair was featured in the article “Guardians of the Liberty Bell?” by Charles D. Cook in “Antiques” from February 1930 which states that these pistols were once owned by John Jacob Mickley who guarded the Liberty Bell on its journey in 1777 and theorizes these may have been his sidearms at the time. He indicates they remained in the Mickley family until they were sold to John Huston of Philadelphia who then sold them to Cook. A Sept. 24, 1961, newspaper clipping from “The Morning Call” of Allentown stated “LIBERTY BELL PISTOLS - These valuable matched pistols, once owned by John Jacob Mickley who helped bring the Liberty Bell to Allentown in 1777, are expected to be displayed at the dedication of the Liberty Bell Shrine in Zion church.” The article later noted, “The two pistols are considered by experts the finest pair of American flintlock pistols known” and discusses them being put on display at the Liberty Bell Shrine. In April 1962, they were featured in “Guns” in the article “Big Moments in Collecting” by James E. Serven where they are captioned
as “Beautifully-made American flintlock pistols were owned by Jacob Mickley, revolutionary war patriot who moved Liberty Bell from Philadelphia to Allentown. Guns became known thereafter as Liberty Bell Pistol.’”
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AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN "ANTIQUES" FROM FEBRUARY 1930 & "THE GUN REPORT" FROM SEPTEMBER 1971