GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
EXTREMELY RARE AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE SCHWEITZER "COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA" BRASS CANNON BARREL FLINTLOCK PISTOL, 1795. COMM OF PENNSLYVANIA PISTOL NSN 54 Cal. 54. 14-1/2" overall, 9" brass 2-stage cannon bbl. This unique, early-American contract pistol is quite well known, pictured in numerous texts and has good collection history. The gun appears in wonderful condition with fine aesthetics. The gun is brass mounted with the lines of a fine Kentucky pistol. Gun is well described in several texts. Bob Reilly describes this gun in his 1986 text United States Martial Flintlocks "Abraham Schweitzer (often spelled "Sweitzer") was a skilled craftsman of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania who was born in 1769 and died in December, 1831. Several superb Pennsylvania rifles are known bearing his name and he is known to have delivered twelve rifles to the government under the contracts of 1792. Contract muskets of 1798 are also known which are stamped on the inside of the locks with Sweitzer's name. The historic significance of this pistol cannot be overstated. It may be the sole survivor of yet uncovered contracts issued by Pennsylvania for pistols, and the use of the Liberty Cap proofmark dates the arm from 1799 at the latest, during which year it was discontinued in favor of the more commonly seen "CP" (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) mark, placing this weapon in the same time frame as the Assembled pistol contracts of 1797 and 1798 as well as those produced by North and Cheney. The use of a brass cannon barrel on an American martial arm is completely unique, and interestingly, the '...return of military stores on hand...' at Philadelphia, dated May 1, 1781, included '...93 brass pistol barrels.' By 1793, a more logical date perhaps, for this pistol, the same returns showed a total of '...80 brass pistol barrels...' still on hand. These figures provide conclusive evidence that brass barrels were, indeed, among the military stores of the era, and in combination with the Liberty Cap proofmark, may well make this not only the earliest known post-Revolutionary War contract pistol, but may place it with the earliest contract arms of any kind!". PROVENANCE: Highlighted and described pgs 64-66 "US Martial Single Shot Pistols", Hartzler & Whisker, 1997; Norm Flayderman Collection; Pictured and described "Historic Pistols, the American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845 by Smith & Bitter", pgs 102 & 103; Reilly's "United States Martial Flintlocks", 1986, pgs 207 & 208; pictured in "Flayderman's Guide to American Antique Firearms", 9th Edition, 2007, pg 347. CONDITION: Very good to fine overall. Gun appears orig and matching with possible restoration of two battery screws. Iron is grey/silver overall with pitting. Brass has been cleaned with a light mustard patina. Bbl proofs are crisp including "Liberty Cap" over "P" and inspector "PG" (Peter Getz of Lancaster, PA) cartouche. Bbl is also marked "WISE" on top bbl flat which is thought possibly to be the officer or barrel maker's name. The only other example known in this configuration is also marked in script "Simpson". Walnut stock is sound and solid, one hairline just rear of lock, small ding, dents, scuffs and scratches expected after 200 years, with hand worn patina. Mechanically functional with clean smooth bore. 52304-6 JS (25,000-30,000)