December 17, 2026 The Estate Of Whitefoord Cole II: Firearms & Militaria
The live portion of this session begins on Thursday, December 17, 2026.
Lot #1031:
(A) FR J. BITTERLICH & CO SOUTHERN PERCUSSION DERRINGER.
Frank J. Bitterlich was among the very few Southern makers of derringer pistols. The Daily Nashville Patriot on August 6, 1860, announced that he had "recently opened a gunsmith's shop over Barkhorn's on Deadrick street" and noted his "guns and pistols are equal in every respect to those of Eastern manufacture, and some have even pronounced them superior to all others." The rifled barrel has a brass blade front sight and is marked "FR J. BITTERLICH & CO/NASHVILLE. TENN." on top. The upper tang has a notch rear sight. The lock has light border engraving. The mounts are German silver, and the stock has a checkered saw handle grip and Schnabel tip with incised accents. A German silver oval escutcheon is inlet and flush mounted on the grip. CONDITION: The charcoal blued barrel has some finish remains with the majority turning plum and silver. The mounts are a pleasing uncleaned patina. The bore has corrosion with prominent rifling. Mechanically good.