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LOT 1288
Desirable Cased Pair of Engraved and James Walsh, Richmond, Virginia, Importer Marked English Percussion Dueling Pistols -A) English Dueling Pistol - NSN, 50 cal., 8 1/2 inch octagon bbl., brown/ casehardened/blue finish, walnut stock. James Walsh was the successor to Thomas Tyrer and operated a gun store in the future Confederate capital
of Richmond, Virginia, in the antebellum era at 60 Main St. and later noted “7 doors above St. Charles Hotel” and advertised that he imported guns, other sporting goods, and “gentleman’s goods” from England as well as Colt revolvers. Dueling had largely faded in American society by this period,
but it had always been more prevalent in the more aristocratic and honor obsessed American South and continued up through the Civil War. Many elite Southern gentlemen would have owned a brace of pistols, but few of their pistols remain today making Southern dueling pistols particularly desirable.
The smoothbore barrels have fixed blade front sights, “IMPORTED BY J.
WALSH RICHMOND VA.” inscribed on the top flats, dovetailed small notch rear sights, and Birmingham proofs and “60” marked on the bottom flats. The locks are signed “J. WALSH.” There is classic English scroll and border engraving. The pistols are equipped with adjustable single set triggers. The stocks have horn forend caps, silver wrist escutcheons, and checkered wrists. The pair comes a in case with a “30” marked ball mold, pick, powder flask, two cap tins, and several lead balls.
CONDITION: Very good. The barrel has light original brown finish, Damascus twist patterns, gray and brown patina, and minor oxidation. The lock has strong case colors in the protected area around the hammer and otherwise mottled gray patina. The silver has an attractive dark aged patina. The trigger guard retains strong original blue finish in the protected areas, and the furniture otherwise displays mostly smooth gray patina. The stock is also fine and has crisp checkering, a couple small spots of insect damage on the horn cap, and minor dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. The relined case is very good with minor age and storage related wear. The flask is fair and has an absent spring and soldered repair. The other accessories are very good with minor wear. B) English Dueling Pistol - NSN, 50 cal., 8 1/2 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/blue finish, walnut stock. See “A.”
CONDITION: Very good with a blend of faded original brown finish and brown patina along the barrel along with distinct Damascus patterns, some minor oxidation, a nice aged patina on the silver, strong applied blue finish on the repaired hammer and the breech, traces of original case colors and blue finish in the protected areas, smooth gray and brown patina on the balance, and general mild overall wear. The stock is also fine and has crisp checkering, a few small nicks at the edges, and minor scratches and dings. Mechanically excellent. This is a very attractive pair of southern retailer marked dueling pistols from the antebellum era when gentlemen were still resolving their affairs of honor at gun point.
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
LOT 1289
Cased Pair of Peter W. Kraft Columbia, South Carolina, Percussion
Dueling/Target Pistols -A) P.W. Craft Dueling/Target Pistol - NSN, 40
cal., 8 1/4 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened finish. Peter W. Kraft
was trained in Germany prior to emigrating to the United States and was
a gunmaker in the 1850s and 1860s in Columbia, South Carolina. During
the Civil War, Kraft, Goldschmidt, and Kraft and produced firearms, knives,
and Confederate swords and also sold a variety of related goods. The five-
groove rifled barrels have silver blade front sights and are marked “P. W.
KRAFT COLUMBIA. S.C.” on top. The standing breeches have integral notch
rear sighs. The locks are marked “P.W. KRAFT.” The pistols have adjustable
single set triggers and spurred trigger guards. The stocks have checkered
wrists, contrasting ebony forend tips, and silver wedge escutcheons. The
relined custom case contains a flat style translucent powder horn (no
stopper), small container, nipple wrench, and a 70 bore ball mold.
CONDITION: Very good with mostly smooth gray and brown patina, some
traces of finish, minor oxidation, aged patina on the silver, and general mild
overall wear. The refinished stock has a crack along the right side of the
forend and chipping on the cap but is otherwise also very good and has
mild wear on the otherwise distinct checkering and some minor scratches
and dings. Mechanically fine. The relined case is good with some holes from
previous hardware, some corner separation, and minor cracks. The mold is g
minor age and storage related wear. B) P.W. Craft Dueling/Target Pistol - NSN, 40 cal., 8 1/4 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened finish, walnut stock. See “A.”
CONDITION: Very good with mostly smooth gray and brown patina, traces of original finish, aged patina on the silver, some minor oxidation, and minor overall wear. The refinished stock is also very good and has some faint repairs on the forend tip, distinct checkering with a few worn spots, and minor dings and scratches. The set trigger need some work but otherwise mechanically fine. Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
ood with moderate wear, and the horn is very good with
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