September 9, 10, & 11, 2025 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/9/2025
7 - 1/4" overall, barrel measures 2 - 7/8" and 3 - 5/8" over breech. Gold blade front sight and tang mounted notch rear. Back action percussion lock and top flat of barrel marked "DERINGER / PHILADEL'A". Lock and cock profusely covered with essentially full coverage of tightly cut acanthus scrollwork with wrigglework borders; about the only unengraved sections this cataloguer can find are the inside of the cock and underside of the fishform hammer. Bolster, top flat of barrel, breech, and faceted edges of teardrop barrel engraved en suite, muzzle with bands of wrigglework. Gold mounts including forearm nosecap, ferrule, ramrod tip, both sides of key escutcheon, sideplate, trigger guard, section under bolster, 1/16" breech bands, buttcap with trap, and a heraldic shield engraved "GD". Mountings are engraved en suite, with vacant areas at trigger guard and ramrod tip. Modified point pattern checkering about the wrist. Original ramrod with case hardened and threaded interior iron is also fit with a jag. PROVENANCE: Ex. Fred Clough, Ex. Doug Ebert, sold at James D. Julia, April 11th, 2017, as Lot 1292. CONDITION: Barrels with virtually all of a thin period reblue, with some fine pitting visible under the bluing. Lock, cock, and breech essentially gunmetal grey, bolster with traces of case coloring in protected areas. Gold and engraving crisp and well cut throughout. Stock very good with some tight cracks, most notable at sidenail, behind escutcheon on left side, and in checkering on left side of bag grip. Mechanically fine, including set trigger, bore smooth with some oxidation throughout. One of the highest art derringers in existence.
Caliber/Bore
.54 Smoothbore