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LOT 3249
Le Petit Protector Style “Le Femme Fatale” Ring Gun with Case - NSN, .26 mm cal., 1/4 inch round bbl., nitre blue/nickel finish. This is an example of a copy of a unique mid- 19th century style custom made French pinfire ring gun which was subsequently custom made by unknown parties. These ring pistols are oddities and appeal to collectors purely as conversation pieces. The band of the ring has a light floral type engraving and is marked “FEMME FATALE”. This ring gun features a small hand rotated six-shot pinfire cartridge cylinder that must be removed for loading/unloading. The pins of the cartridges are struck by the base of the hammer (any pinfire cartridge is obsolete). Includes a brown leather wrapped case with “FEMME FATALE” badge on the lid and containing seven tiny pinfire cartridges and a small screwdriver. CONDITION: Very fine, retains 90% plus of the custom nitre blue and nickel finishes with some light wear. Mechanically excellent. The case is also very fine with some light wear. Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
LOT 3250
Exceptional Cased Tipping & Lawden Model 1 Sharps Patent Pepperbox Pistol - Serial no. 418, 22 RF cal.,
2 5/8 inch fluted bbl., blue/silver finish, gutta percha grips. Tipping & Lawden of Birmingham, England, were one of only two foreign firms licensed by Sharps to manufacture these pistols in Europe and manufactured around 4,000 of them in the 1860s and 1870s mixed between several calibers. Since they were designed to be readily carried, most are well-worn, but this example is high condition. The barrel group is finished blue and has a post front sight and Birmingham proofs on the sides. The silver-plated frame at the breech has a groove for a rear sight and is marked “TIPPING & LAWDEN/SHARPS’ PATENT” around the hammer screw on the left. The grips are black gutta percha with a floral scroll motif. “418” is marked on the bottom of the barrel group, on the inside of the grip retention plate, and on the inside of both grip panels. Includes a fitted hardwood case with blue lined interior and a Robert S. Garden London retailer label.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, retains 85% of the original blue finish and 90% of the attractively aged silver plating with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth brown patina. The grips are also very fine with some scattered light handling marks, concentrated mostly on the butt. Mechanically excellent. The case is very fine with some light handling/storage wear.
LOT 3251
Chicago Firearms Co. Protector Palm Pistol with Scarce Blue Finish - Serial no. 5527, 32 XSRF cal., 1 3/4 inch round bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured in the 1890s, without the typical floral pattern accents on the barrel and frame, this example shows a very scarce blue
finish. Produced without sights, with
the model and patent markings on the
frame and the Chicago Firearms address
on the side plate. The frame, side plate and turret
cylinder are numbered to match. Fitted with knurled panels on
the sideplate, and checkered hard rubber grip panels on the
sideplate, frame, and palm pad.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 60% plus of the scarce original blue finish
with the balance having thinned to a smooth grey patina and some scattered very light spotting. The grips are fine with some light wear and handling marks, and well-defined checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 2,500 - 3,750
LOT 3252
Cased Factory Engraved
Sharps Model 1A Four Barrel
Pepperbox Pistol - Serial no. 521,
22 RF cal., 2 1/2 inch round bbl.,
blue/silver finish, gutta percha
grips. Manufactured between
1859 and 1874. The sides of the
frame feature a scroll engraving
on a punch dot background and
a flower around the hammer
screw, with wedges of the scroll
engraving on the back strap. Thick
decorative engraved bands are
also featured on the frame behind
the hammer, near the grips and at
the breech. A banner is engraved
around the butt serial number,
with a double line border on
the other side of the screw. The
left side of the barrel cluster near the frame is faintly marked “C. SHARPS PHILADELPHIA PA”. Barrel and frame serial numbers match. Checkered hammer with rotating pin, smooth spur trigger and deep relief floral pattern gutta percha grips. Complete with a partitioned hardwood case with green felt lining and a McComas label on the inside of the lid. Complete with a cartridge block filled with 24 rounds with acorn head stamps and wooden cleaning rod.
CONDITION: Good. The barrel cluster has been cleaned bright and the frame has a polished appearance. There is some extremely limited pin point pitting on the barrel cluster. The grips are very fine with slightly chipped toes and some very light scratches. The action is fine. The case is very good with some minor scratches and some light wear to the lining.
Estimate: 1,600 - 2,500
LOT 3253
Unmarked C.S. Shattuck Unique Palm Pistol -
Serial no. 218, 22 short cal., 1 3/8 inch slab sided bbl., nickel finish. This is an unusual Charles S. Shattuck “Unique” palm pistol manufactured
in 1901-1915 with no markings aside from the matching serial numbers. Only a few thousand of these palm pistols were manufactured. CONDITION: Very fine, retains 85% plus of the original nickel finish with some scattered light flaking. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750
170 Estimate: 1,800 - 2,750