Model 1826 Navy Pistol

Description:

Physical Description:

This .54 caliber smoothbore flintlock U.S. Model 1826 Navy pistol was made by W.L. Evans. It has iron mountings including an iron backstrap from the tang to the buttcap with an iron belt hook. All the iron parts are browned. The barrel bands are secured by springs. It has a swivel type steel ramrod and a brass flash pan.

This pistol has a very rare stamp on the lock plate. It is stamped “W.L. EVANS/E. BURG” under an eagle head. The military stamps “C /IUSN/P” are on the barrel and the inspector’s mark “CL” is stamped on stock and barrel.

History:

In 1825, John Rogers – a gun manufacturer in Valley Forge, Pa – could not get enough money to fund his government contracts, so he went into business with W.L. Evans. They produced these Model 1826 pistols between the years 1830 and 1831.

This pistol was part of a Navy contract and is nearly identical to a Model 1826 pistol made by Simeon North. It is one of a pair of U.S. Model 1826 pistols made by Evans with an Evansburg, Pa stamp. It was separated from its mate in 1948. Francis Bannerman bought the pair in the 1930s and sold them to a dealer , W. Stokes Kirk. In 1940, Kirk sold them to Dr. S. Traner Buck. When Dr. Buck died, the collection was purchased by the Kimball Arms Company. They sold the pair in 1948 to Henry Stewart and William Locke. Stewart sold his to Dr. James Lucie who sold it to Johnnie Bassett. This pistol was purchased for the Bitter Collection from Locke in 1973.

References:

Flayderman, Norm. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms…and their Values, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2007. 9th edition

Gardner, Robert E. Col. Small Arms Makers: A Directory of Fabricators of Firearms, Edged Weapons, Crossbows and Polearms, Crown Publishers Inc, New York: 1963, p 61.

Houting, Scott. The Evans Family of Valley Forge: The US Model 1816 Flintlock Musket.” Valley Forge Historical National Park .

Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 318.