EXTREMELY RARE CASED PAIR OF SPECIAL ORDER HENRY DERINGER PERCUSSION PISTOLS.

EXTREMELY RARE CASED PAIR OF SPECIAL ORDER HENRY DERINGER PERCUSSION PISTOLS. Cal. 50. Rare pair of Deringer pistols with 3-1/2″ ovoid shaped bbls, dovetailed German silver front sights and fixed rear sights that are part of the top tangs. Top flats of the bbls have the large left hand marking “DERINGER / PHILADA.”. The breech plugs have two silver bands and are engraved with an unusual star & dot pattern on the top flat with a small “P” proof on the left top flat. The bolsters each have the identical star & dot patterns which is extremely unusual. Lockplates are of the smallest size, usually found only on the peanut size derringers. Lockplates, hammers & top tangs have the usual Deringer-style engraving. Mounted in 1-pc walnut stocks with checkered bird head grips and German silver furniture, secured with a sgl key through bow tie escutcheons. Also, most unusually, the bbls are finished brown without the lightning bolt patterns usually found on Deringer pistols. The stock of one pistol is hand carved on left side of top tang “WE” and “JK” on right side. Both stocks have shield shaped thumb plates with small ball drops at the bottom. Accompanied by their orig black leather covered, burgundy velvet lined, French fitted case compartmented in the bottom for both pistols, a ribbed 3-compartment powder, ball & cap flask with angle spout, a sgl cavity ball nutcracker mold with sprue cutter, a rosewood brass tip orig rammer, a rosewood & brass tool with concealed worm, a horn handled modern replacement turn screw and a horn handled nipple wrench with vent pick screwed into the butt. Covered corner compartments contain a lead ball and the other functioning key. These pistols were the subject of a 3-page article by Doug Eberhart which appeared in Man at Arms for the Gun Collector, Volume 33, No. 6, 2011. Mr. Eberhart relates how the quest to rejoin this pair of pistols began in about 1977 at the Las Vegas Gun Show where he saw the first pistol but passed on purchasing it. In 1980 he did purchase its mate at the Orlando Gun Show and sold it to a collector friend. After several years had passed he was back at the Las Vegas Gun Show and saw a Deringer pistol that he thought was the one he had sold his friend. He immediately called his friend and learned that the first one was still in his collection. So he returned to the gun show table and purchased the second gun. He offered it to his friend to reunite the pair but the friend declined and refused to sell the one he had to Mr. Eberhart. Several years later the friend who owned the first Deringer called and said that he was retiring and wanted to sell his collection, which Mr. Eberhart arranged to purchase. Sometime later he learned that another friend, Tom Wibberly, was selling his collection. Discussion with Mr. Wibberly at the Baltimore show disclosed that he owned a dbl casing for Deringer pistols. A deal was struck and Mr. Eberhart purchased the casing which, as it turned out, beyond any doubt, is the orig casing for this pair of pistols. It is known that dbl casings for Deringer pistols are specific to individual arms and are hand fitted. Other similar pistols usually will not fit. Mr. Eberhart initially tried one of his pistols in the case but it did not lay in the recess correctly. Reversing the pistol to the other recess, it fit perfectly and the second pistol fit perfectly in the first recess. Mr. Eberhart, in this article, reports technical information about these pistols, stating they were manufactured circa 1845-1850 as determined by the size & shape of the hammer and design of the finial. He states that the bbl address on the top flat is forward of where it normally is found. He states that this marking first appeared on the third & final lock style of the Model 1817 Flintlock Contract Rifle and again on the Model 1842 Navy pistols, which all ties in with the period of these Deringers. He also states that the small lockplates came into being in the 1848-1850 period and that the 50 caliber of these pistols is unusual when they were normally 44 caliber. This article is hand signed by Mr. Eberhart “To my buddy Joe / Best Wishes”. You will also find this exact cased set presented with a full page color picture on page 59 of Henry Deringer Pistols by L.D. Eberhart. CONDITION: Pistols are nearly identical in condition with one retaining 85-90% orig brown on the bbl and dark case colors on the breech block & hammer, lockplate is mostly faded to silver. Stock has a few chips & nicks, a crack by the lockplate screw and retains most of a hand worn patina with possibly a wiped-on additional finish. The second pistol retains thin brown finish on the bbl with dark case colors on breech block & hammer and the lockplate mostly turned silver. Stock on this pistol is sound with a few light nicks and retains a hand worn patina with a light added finish. Mechanics are fine, strong clean bores. Case shows some losses around the front and lightly on the edges with a crack in the bottom, otherwise is sound and retains most of its orig black leather finish; interior is heavily faded with light soil and some deterioration of the lining around the pistol recesses; accessories are fine. 4-47707 JR243 (25,000-35,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2013

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2121	$0.00	EXTREMELY RARE CASED PAIR OF SPECIAL ORDER HENRY DERINGER PERCUSSION PISTOLS. Cal. 50. Rare pair of Deringer pistols with 3-1/2″ ovoid shaped bbls, dovetailed German silver front sights and fixed rear sights that are part of the top tangs. Top flats of the bbls have the large left hand marking “DERINGER / PHILADA.”. The breech plugs have two silver bands and are engraved with an unusual star & dot pattern on the top flat with a small “P” proof on the left top flat. The bolsters each have the identical star & dot patterns which is extremely unusual. Lockplates are of the smallest size, usually found only on the peanut size derringers. Lockplates, hammers & top tangs have the usual Deringer-style engraving. Mounted in 1-pc walnut stocks with checkered bird head grips and German silver furniture, secured with a sgl key through bow tie escutcheons. Also, most unusually, the bbls are finished brown without the lightning bolt patterns usually found on Deringer pistols. The stock of one pistol is hand carved on left side of top tang “WE” and “JK” on right side. Both stocks have shield shaped thumb plates with small ball drops at the bottom. Accompanied by their orig black leather covered, burgundy velvet lined, French fitted case compartmented in the bottom for both pistols, a ribbed 3-compartment powder, ball & cap flask with angle spout, a sgl cavity ball nutcracker mold with sprue cutter, a rosewood brass tip orig rammer, a rosewood & brass tool with concealed worm, a horn handled modern replacement turn screw and a horn handled nipple wrench with vent pick screwed into the butt. Covered corner compartments contain a lead ball and the other functioning key. These pistols were the subject of a 3-page article by Doug Eberhart which appeared in Man at Arms for the Gun Collector, Volume 33, No. 6, 2011. Mr. Eberhart relates how the quest to rejoin this pair of pistols began in about 1977 at the Las Vegas Gun Show where he saw the first pistol but passed on purchasing it. In 1980 he did purchase its mate at the Orlando Gun Show and sold it to a collector friend. After several years had passed he was back at the Las Vegas Gun Show and saw a Deringer pistol that he thought was the one he had sold his friend. He immediately called his friend and learned that the first one was still in his collection. So he returned to the gun show table and purchased the second gun. He offered it to his friend to reunite the pair but the friend declined and refused to sell the one he had to Mr. Eberhart. Several years later the friend who owned the first Deringer called and said that he was retiring and wanted to sell his collection, which Mr. Eberhart arranged to purchase. Sometime later he learned that another friend, Tom Wibberly, was selling his collection. Discussion with Mr. Wibberly at the Baltimore show disclosed that he owned a dbl casing for Deringer pistols. A deal was struck and Mr. Eberhart purchased the casing which, as it turned out, beyond any doubt, is the orig casing for this pair of pistols. It is known that dbl casings for Deringer pistols are specific to individual arms and are hand fitted. Other similar pistols usually will not fit. Mr. Eberhart initially tried one of his pistols in the case but it did not lay in the recess correctly. Reversing the pistol to the other recess, it fit perfectly and the second pistol fit perfectly in the first recess. Mr. Eberhart, in this article, reports technical information about these pistols, stating they were manufactured circa 1845-1850 as determined by the size & shape of the hammer and design of the finial. He states that the bbl address on the top flat is forward of where it normally is found. He states that this marking first appeared on the third & final lock style of the Model 1817 Flintlock Contract Rifle and again on the Model 1842 Navy pistols, which all ties in with the period of these Deringers. He also states that the small lockplates came into being in the 1848-1850 period and that the 50 caliber of these pistols is unusual when they were normally 44 caliber. This article is hand signed by Mr. Eberhart “To my buddy Joe / Best Wishes”. You will also find this exact cased set presented with a full page color picture on page 59 of Henry Deringer Pistols by L.D. Eberhart. CONDITION: Pistols are nearly identical in condition with one retaining 85-90% orig brown on the bbl and dark case colors on the breech block & hammer, lockplate is mostly faded to silver. Stock has a few chips & nicks, a crack by the lockplate screw and retains most of a hand worn patina with possibly a wiped-on additional finish. The second pistol retains thin brown finish on the bbl with dark case colors on breech block & hammer and the lockplate mostly turned silver. Stock on this pistol is sound with a few light nicks and retains a hand worn patina with a light added finish. Mechanics are fine, strong clean bores. Case shows some losses around the front and lightly on the edges with a crack in the bottom, otherwise is sound and retains most of its orig black leather finish; interior is heavily faded with light soil and some deterioration of the lining around the pistol recesses; accessories are fine. 4-47707 JR243 (25,000-35,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2013 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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