GUN FALL 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
RARE AND FINE JOSEPH HENRY SECONDARY MARTIAL PISTOL, CIRCA 1835, SN 6. JOSEPH HENRY SS/FL PISTOL 6 58 Cal. 58. 14-1/2" overall, half oct to rnd 8-7/8" smooth bore bbl with small narrow brass blade front sight, flat beveled edge goose-neck hammer, frizzen spring includes roller bearing, brass mounted with walnut stock. This gun is in wonderful condition and is probably among, if not the best, of the 7 specimens noted by Sam Smith and E. W. Bitter in their text Historic Pistols, The American Martial Flintlock, 1760-1845 on pg 210 where he lists known numbers of 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 31, 37. The exact contract is not known but identical examples are pictured also in Robert Riley's United States Martial Flintlocks, pg 200-201. The contract for these guns is assumed to have been from the 1807-1808 or 1826 contract. It would be difficult to upgrade this example from the handful of examples known. CONDITION: Fine overall. Bbl is bright/grey with scattered staining and pitting. Lock is overall dark grey. Hammer is matching dark grey with some blue with hairline crack at base, lock markings and SN are crisp. Brass mounts have a light olive/mustard colored patina. Stock is sound and solid with two hairlines forward and rear of lock. There is a small 1" sliver of wood repaired on right side of stock at muzzle. Mechanically gun is sound with clean, smooth bore with areas of pitting. 50731-6 JS (5,000-6,500)