GUN FALL 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
RARE AND EXTREMELY FINE MODEL 1814 TRYON ASSEMBLY CONTRACT PISTOL.TRYON1814 PISTOLNSN56Cal. 56. 14-1/2" overall, 9-1/8" rnd brass bbl with British proofs. Orig flintlock plate marked "TRYON", brass mounted with silver oct thumbplate. Samuel Smith and E. W. Bitter describe this contract in their 1985 text Historic Pistols, The American Martial Flintlock, 1760-1845 on pg 296. "Largely overlooked by collectors and authors, this flintlock pistol, assembled from parts by George W. Tryon in Philadelphia in 1814 and 1815, is a primary U.S. Martial Pistol. The following note is in the statement of contracts made with the Commissary General of purchases by sundry persons for Ordnance Stores: "276 pistols to be repaired by G. W. Tryon, Philada. and delivered to the U.S. Arsenal at $3.25 dollars each." A letter from Callender Irvine at the Commissary General's Office, Philadelphia, dated May 19, 1814 to M.T. Wickham, U.S. Inspector of Arms, stated that "Mr. Tryon has consented to make the pistols with wipers &c at $6 50/100 per pair. Please to examine the pistol made by him critically and give me your opinion of it. I send by the bearer both pistols. Will be glad to see you after such examination". Parts to assemble the 276 pistols in the contract were drawn from the parts bins in the U.S. Arsenal in Philadelphia in the summer of 1814 and were assembled, delivered and paid for within a year. About twenty-five of these Tryon pistols are known, identical except that some have brass barrels and others have iron barrels. The pistols are stamped "TRYON" on the flat lockplates with a floral engraving at the rear. Inside, the lockplates are stamped "RH" for Richard Hollis, the lock maker in England from whom the locks had been purchased some years earlier. The barrels, of English manufacture with two British proofs..." This rare contract is little doubt the finest example known retaining traces of finish, seeing little use. PROVENANCE: Ex-Joseph Murphy Collection; Pictured on pg 113 of "Early American Flintlocks" by Hartzler & Whisker, 2000. CONDITION: Very fine overall. Iron is overall grey to a darker patina with traces of finish in protected areas of lock and hammer. Brass bbl is clean with light mustard patina as are other brass mounts. Stock is sound with some raised grain with traces of orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp and bore is clean. 50731-3 JS (5,000-8,000)