The .45 caliber Colt Model 1911 pistol was an official U.S. military sidearm from 1911 until 1986. Close to 70,000 were manufactured befor the U.S. entered World War I.
This .54 caliber U.S. Model 1826 smoothbore flintlock pistol was made by John Joseph Henry. It has a swivel type ramrod. The barrel is iron, and the blade front sight and flash pan are brass. The flash pan is tilted upward. The pistol also has an oval rear sight.
“J.J. HENRY/BOULTON” is stamped on the lockplate below the flash pan. There are no inspector marks on the stock or barrel marks.
History:
John Joseph Henry learned his craft as an apprentice to his uncle John Henry. After studying in Boston, Henry opened his own factory in Boulton factory, Pennsylvania.
This pistol was made for the Pennsylvania militia. Despite the Model 1826 designation, Henry produced this type of pistol in 1835-36. These pistols are readily identified by the unique downward curve to the grip which was a trademark of J.J. Henry.
References:
Flayderman, Norm. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms…and their Values, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2007. 9th edition.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 206
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. 89.
This .54 caliber smoothbore flintlock 2nd Model pistol was made by the Virginia Manufactory. It was modeled after the Harpers Ferry Model 1805. It has brass mountings, a walnut half stock and is wedge fastened. It has an iron rib under the barrel with a wooden ramrod with swelled tip.
It is stamped “VIRGINIA” and “RICHMOND/1812” on the lockplate. “P” is stamped inside the lockplate and so is “VIII” and “8”. The walnut stock is stamped “RI”.
History:
The Virginia Manufactory is also known as the Richmond Armory and the Virginia State Armory. It was established by the Act of 1797 to manufacture arms for the state militia. It was built along the James River and was initially in production from 1802 through 1820. The man who was in charge of the armory was James Haslett. He was formerly employed by McCormick. He was recommended for the job by Colonel John Shee, a surgeon from Philadelphia who served in the Third Pennsylvania Battalion. He wrote to the Governor of Virginia that they would “be enabled to engage Haslett…for the Richmond Armory.” The Armory reopened in 1860 for production during the Civil War.
It is a rare pistol type made with a hickory ramrod. Fewer than 300 wooden ramrods were made after 1812 because the iron swivel type was favored. There are cuts in the iron rib to make it easier to get the ramrod.
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. 200.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 242.
This .69 caliber smoothbore flintlock U.S. Model 1807 pistol was made by the Springfield Armory. It is iron mounted with double barrel bands, a stock that extends past the band, a brass blade front sight on forward strap, a hickory ramrod with swelled tip and a threaded metal ferrule.
It is stamped “U.S.” under an eagle and “SPRING/FIELD/1818” on the lockplate.
History:
On April 26, 1782 Congress approved the construction of the Springfield Armory as a “good and efficient magazine for the reception of the public ammunition.” It began manufacturing pistols for U.S. government use in 1807.
Production of this pistol was started in 1807 but stopped in 1808 when military pistols were changed to .54 caliber. In 1815, some of these pistols were sent to Harpers Ferry and finished. The rest were not finished in Springfield until 1817 and 1818. They were the first to be made in quantity at the Springfield Armory.
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. 185.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 280.
This .67 caliber U.S. smoothbore holster pistol was made by Halbach and Sons. It has a pin fastened full walnut stock, an iron barrel, and brass furniture. It has a large shell design relief carving on stock around tang.
There is an eagle and shield with a cluster of 13 stars on the butt cap. The trigger guard and side plate are engraved. There are no other stamps.
History:
Halbach and Sons originated in Baltimore, MD around 1780. They were famous for producing bronze cannon muzzle style barrels and bronze mountings. A Halbach and Sons pistol can also be identified by the brass butt cap that depicts an American spread eagle surrounded by 13 stars. It will also have a raised carving around the tang and a lockplate stamped “Halbach & Sons.”
This pistol is an example of the lack of standardization in the 18th century. The brass butt cap has an American folk art style engraving but it does not have any of the stamps that signify it as a Halbach and Sons pistol.
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. 82.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 118.
This .50 caliber center fire Remington 1871 Army pistol was made by the Remington Repeating Arms Co. It is a breech loading rolling block pistol. It has walnut grips and forend with a blue finish. The frame and trigger guard are casehardened.
This pistol is stamped “REMINGTON’S ILION, N.Y.U.S.A” over top “PAT MAY 30. NOV. 15TH 1864. April 17TH 1866.” on the left side of the pistol. On the same side “S” and “P” are stamped. At the rear of the grip is a rectangular stamp, with script letters “LRS.” on the inside.
History:
The rolling block pistol was developed from the split breech carbine invented by Leonard Geiger. Remington Chief Designer Joseph Rider modified Geiger’s model to create the Rolling Block Pistol in 1866.
The rolling block pistol was easy to use, reliable and accurate. Cock the hammer and slide the breech back for easy cartridge insertion. Then move the block forward. When the trigger is pulled, a projection rolls under the breech.
There were five models made of the rolling block design. The Remington Model 1871 Army Pistol was the final design. In this Model, the trigger and guard were moved forward, and a spur was added behind the hammer for better grip. A firing pin retractor was added. This design, while sold to the U.S. Government for military use, was never sold to the military.
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. 159-160.
Womack, G.S. “Remington Rolling Block Parts,” GS Womack. .
This .54 caliber smoothbore, single-shot flintlock Model 1836 pistol was made by Robert Johnson of Middletown, Connecticut. It has a round barrel and a barrel band strap that extends to the sideplate. It has a swivel type steel ramrod with button head, iron mountings, and a brass flash pan. The lockplate, hammer and frizzen, blued trigger and frizzen spring are all case hardened.
“US./R. JOHNSON/MIDDN CONN/1842” is stamped on the lockplate. The barrel is stamped with the inspector’s mark “US/PH/P”. The walnut stock has inspector stamp “PH” on the left side.
History:
This type of pistol was a modification of the Model 1826 pistol and was the last US martial pistol with a flintlock ignition system produced for contract with the US government. It was standard issue for the Mexican War and many were converted to percussion for use during the American Civil War.
Johnson’s factory in Middletown, Connecticut was insured for $30,000. It held 27 employees and six water wheels. On June 27, 1836, Johnson was contracted for 3,000 pistols at nine dollars each. He received a second contract for 15,000 more in 1840. This particular pistol was previously on loan to the White House Library.
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. 102.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 236.
This .54 caliber smoothbore flintlock U.S. Model 1807 pistol was made by William Calderwood of Philadelphia under U.S. contract. It has brass mountings, a brass blade front sight, a brass forestock reinforcing band, a pin fastened barrel and wooden ramrod.
The lockplate is stamped “CALDERWOOD/PHILA” and “US/1808”. There is an eagle over a “P” on the top left side of the barrel.
History:
William Calderwood was a pistol and rifle maker located on Germantown Road in Philadelphia, Pa from 1807 through 1817. He was contracted on April 21, 1808 to make 60 pairs of horse pistols for Tench Coxe. Coxe was a controversial character during this time period. President Thomas Jefferson named him Purveyor of Public Supplies from 1803-1812. Before that however he was a loyalist to the British government.
These pistols were delivered in three batches from June 30 and December 22, 1808. This pistol is the only 1807 contract pistol dated on the lockplate. The proofmarks of other known Calderwood 1807 pistols are different than the proofmarks on this pistol as well. No known reason has been found for these discrepancies.
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. 33.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 226.
This .51 caliber smoothbore flintlock holster pistol was made in New England around 1815. It has brass furniture including a brass barrel. It is pin fastened with a Ketland lock. The lock has floral engraving and a gooseneck hammer. It is a “sleigh” design lockplate. The iron tang has a spear point filial. The stock is cherry wood with a beaver tail carving around the tang and brass nose cap.
It is stamped “KETLAND” and “L” on the inside of the lockplate.
History:
It is impossible to identify a maker. The engravings and bluing were used by lockmakers in England in the 18th and 19th centuries. However, these engravings also can be found on some American pistols.
References:
Flayderman, Norm. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms…and their Values, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2007. 9th edition.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 250.