Model 1813 Maryland Contract Pistol
Model 1813 Maryland Contract Pistol
Previous
Next
Usage conditions apply
- Description
- Physical Description:
- This.54 caliber smoothbore flintlock Pistol was made by Henry Deringer in 1813. It has a pin fastened barrel, brass mountings, and a wooden ramrod with two ramrod pipes.
- The batch number “3” is stamped inside the lockplate, in the inlet for the lock, bridle and frizzen. The barrel has “M” over a raised “P” in an oval and the stock is stamped “M” and “HM.”
- History:
- This type of pistol was manufactured by Henry Deringer. He opened his factory in Philadelphia in 1806 and would later become famous for his percussion pocket pistol. There is no federal contract information for Deringer pistols in 1813. It is reported however, to have been for a contract in 1807/1808 for the state of Maryland to make 510 pistols.
- Batch numbers for Deringer pistols range from the number 1 to the number 61. Two pistols have the batch number “3”. Deringer delivered batch numbers 1-90 in one shipment. At a later date he shipped pistols with batch numbers 1-120 which accounts for the duplicate batch numbers on this particular pistol in addition to 89 other pistols.
- 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. 51.
- Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 286.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- pistol
- pistol, flintlock
- Other Terms
- pistol; Firearms; Army; Flintlock;.54 In; Smooth Bore; Muzzle Load; Sa
- date made
- 1813
- maker
- Deringer, Jr., Henry
- place made
- United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- associated place
- United States: Maryland
- Physical Description
- metal (part material)
- wood (part material)
- Measurements
- overall: 16 in; 40.64 cm
- overall: 2 3/8 in x 16 1/4 in x 6 1/8 in; 6.0325 cm x 41.275 cm x 15.5575 cm
- ID Number
- 1986.0024.06
- accession number
- 1986.0024
- catalog number
- 1986.0024.06
- collector/donor number
- P42L
- Credit Line
- The Adriana and Edwin W. Bitter Family Collection
- See more items in
- Political and Military History: Armed Forces History, Military
- Military
- The Bitter Collection of Firearms
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.
Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.
