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LOT 3150
Extraordinarily Fine Cased Pair of Engraved, Silver Mounted, and Gold Banded Henry Deringer Percussion Pocket Pistols Featured in “Henry Deringer’s Pocket Pistols” by Parsons and “The Deringer in America Vol. 1” by Eberhart -A) Henry Deringer Pocket Pistol - NSN, 45 cal.,
2 3/8 inch flat top round bbl., faux Damascus/ casehardened/gold/silver finish, walnut stock. Henry Deringer’s pocket pistols were so popular that his name is now the nickname for pocket pistols in general with an extra “r.” They were also so popular that they were widely copied in the period. A Deringer pistol was infamously used by John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. This stunning cased set is featured in “Henry Deringer’s Pocket Pistols” by Parsons on p. 17 where they are noted as from the Russel S. Gladstien Collection
and in “The Deringer in America. Vol 1” by Eberhart on p. 39 where they are described as from the
Hal du Pont collection. They date to c. 1855 and feature dual gold bands on the breech plugs, sterling silver side plates, escutcheons, and trigger guards; German silver forend caps and pommel caps, small compartments in the latter, scroll engraving, the classic “faux Damascus” finish
on the barrel which have seven-groove rifling and dovetailed blade front sights, “DERINGER/ PHILADELA” and “(P)” markings on the breech plugs, fixed notch rear sights
on the tangs, “DERINGER/ PHILADELA” on the
back action locks,
and varnished
walnut stocks with checkered bird’s
head wrists. The
pair is cased in a leather-bound case
with a turnscrew,
nipple wrench, fluted powder flask, “60”
marked ball mold, brass loading rod with covered worm, a measure, some balls and patches, and a key.
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