This .64 caliber smoothbore, flintlock Mode 1808 pistol was made by Simeon North. It was standard production for the U.S. Navy. This pistol is pin fastened with a full walnut stock and hickory ramrod with a swelled tip. It has brass mountings including a brass flashpan with fence lock. An iron backstrap extends from tang to butt cap. An iron belt hook is attached to the sideplate.
On the lockplate is an “eagle over U.STATES” stamp under the flashpan and a “S. NORTH/BERLIN/CON.” Stamp at the rear. Two internal “694” stamps are found both on the left side of the breech plug and in the stock under the backstrap.
History:
This type of pistol was created by Simeon North as the standard issue for the U.S. Navy used during the War of 1812. The pistols were manufactured in his first factory in Berlin, Connecticut. 3,000 of these Model 1808 Navy pistols were produced – 2,000 pistols in 1808 and another 1,000 in 1810. The production for these pistols set the standard for American manufacturing.
It is believed that North paired his pistols like the Harper’s Ferry Armory. In the records for North pistols, there are two pistols that share the same three digit serial number. The stamps are internal and difficult to locate, so this discovery was not made easily.
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, 142.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 138.
This .54 caliber smoothbore flintlock U.S. Model 1826 Navy pistol was made by Simeon North. It is iron mounted including an iron swivel type ramrod and a long steel belt hook. This pistol has a brass blade front sight and an oval sight near the tang. The brass flashpan has no fence and tilts upward on the lockplate. The pistol finish is browned but is almost completely gone.
“1828” is stamped at the rear of the lockplate. “U.S./S. North” is stamped under the flash pan. The barrel is stamped “US/ET”. Stamped into the stock by the side plate are the script letters “CJ” in a circle.
History:
Simeon North had a 53 year relationship with the U.S. War Department. The contract for the Model 1826 pistols was the last contract North had for martial pistols from the U.S. Government.
The North Model 1826 Navy Pistol is virtually a smaller version of the Model 1819 with a few slight alterations. It is most readily identifiable from the sharp angle of the grip that is not seen on Model 1819 pistols.
Most of these pistols were converted to percussion later in the 19th century. Finding this model of pistol as a flintlock is extremely rare.
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. 136.
This .69 caliber smoothbore flintlock U.S. Model 1813 pistol was made by Simeon North under Army contract. It has an inclined brass flashpan with no fence. The larger sized hammer denotes that this pistol was made in Middletown. The barrel is nine inches long with an octagonal breech and no sight.
The lockplate is stamped “S. NORTH/MIDLN/CON.” in two semi circles around the “U.S.” and eagle stamp. The barrel is stamped “P./US” on the left side of the breech. The right side of the breech is stamped “H.H.P” for ordnance inspector Henry H. Perkins. The left side of the stock is stamped “LS” in script for ordnance inspector Luther Sage.
History:
Simeon North was the first to produce mass orders of pistols for the U.S. government. His factory in Berlin, Connecticut grew so large that in 1813, he opened a larger factory in Middletown, Connecticut. This factory employed 50-70 people, had nine water wheels, three trip hammers, two lathes and boring, drilling, polishing, turning, and milling machines.
The U.S. Model 1813 Pistol was made at the Middletown factory. These new pistols were the first firearms produced under a government contract that required standardization and interchangeability of parts. The Model 1813 is somewhat rare because production ceased in January 1816. Lieutenant Colonel Bomford from the Ordnance Office in Washington sent a list of alterations of this pistol to North. The caliber would be reduced to .54 because the recoil was too strong, the barrel, tang, and mountings were to be browned, and a sight would be added.
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, 142.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 150
This .69 caliber smoothbore flintlock Model 1811 pistol was made by Simeon North. It is pin fastened with a full stock and wooden ramrod with a swelled tip. It has brass mountings including an umbrella shaped butt cap.
The lockplate is stamped under the flashpan with an eagle over “U. STATES” and at the rear is “S. NORTH/BERLIN/CON.” Ordnance inspector “HHP” is stamped in the stock. The barrel has proofmarks. One proofmark is a sunken oval with an eagle head over “CT” and the letter “V” below it. “P” is stamped on the back strap by the tang screw. No internal serial number.
History:
North completed the first batch of Model 1811 pistols to change the way the barrel fastened to the stock making disassembly easier. This type of pistol transitioned into an iron double strap barrel band attaching the barrel to the stock. This alteration was created by U.S. Inspector of Arms, M. T. Wickham.
This type of pistol is unusual because it has no internal serial numbers. Authors of Historic Pistols, Edwin Bitter and Samuel Smith believe this was due to a first attempt to add proofmarks to the barrel. Prior to this pistol, barrels were unmarked.
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, 142.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 142.
Colt Walker pistol, known as the United States Model 1847.
Specific History
The Colt Walker was officially designated a pistol as it was the first revolver ever purchased by the Army Ordnance Department. This was a problem in that many men had never seen a revolver, much less used one, resulting in many burst cylinders, the accidental firing of all six chambers.
General History
The Walker pistols were manufactured during a short production run in 1847. The pistol was named after Captain Samuel Hamilton Walker, a renowned national hero who had fought in the Texas-Mexico wars. Captain Walker approached Samuel Colt, a leading firearms designer, to create a pistol suitable for the Texas Rangers and the U.S. Dragoons. The new weapon was designed by both Colt and Walker, based on the Colt Paterson revolver, but clearly improved. It proved to be a revolver of such size, weight, and heft that Colt was reputed to have said, "It would take a Texan to shoot it." Walker wrote in 1847 that the gun was "as effective as a common rifle at 100 yards and superior to a musket even at 200." Far more powerful than the earlier Patersons, this gun quickly became legendary. For those who could afford it, the Walker Colt was a symbol of strength, authority and great financial means. While the gun was a financial success for Colt, Captain Walker met a tragic end. Fighting at the front in the Mexican War, he was killed by a lance in the Battle of Juamantla in early October 1847. At the time of his death, Walker was carrying a pair of Walker pistols--gifts from Colt which had just arrived a few days before.
This .72 caliber smoothbore, flintlock U.S. Second Model 1799 pistol was made by North and Cheney. It has a brass frame trigger guard and buttcap, an iron backstrap, no forestock, a one piece walnut handle, and a steel ramrod with button head.
Under the brass frame, “NORTH & CHENEY BERLIN” is stamped. The barrel has a “P” on the left side and a “V” on the screw heads.
History:
Simeon North and his brother-in-law Elisha Cheney went into business for a short period of time. They produced around 2,000 Model 1799 Contract Pistols in two contracts – the first, delivering 500 and the second, 1500. It was the first official model adopted by the U.S. government.
This pistol was modeled after the Model 1777 French pistol. This pistol is from the Second contract. Archived correspondence between North and the War department in 1801 and 1802 that verify shipments of these North and Cheney pistols.
This particular pistol – numbered 311 – was part of the William M. Locke Collection and was sold to the Bitter Collection 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. 142.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 130.
This .52 caliber smoothbore flintlock U.S. Model 1819 pistol was made by Simeon North for a U.S. army contract. This pistol has a sliding safety bolt located at the rear of the lockplate that half cocks the hammer while the frizzen covers the primed flash pan. It has all iron mountings with a swivel iron ramrod. The barrel band is secured by a spring backstrap that travels from tang to butt plate. The front sight is a brass blade and the rear sight is oval on the tang.
The lockplate is stamped “S. North” in a semicircle above the “U” and “S” on either side of an eagle with “MIDDLTNCONN.” in a semi circle below. The barrel is stamped “RJ/P” for Robert Johnson and “JD/P” for John D. Johnson – both of whom tested the barrels. The stocks are stamped in cursive “LS,” “ET,” “JM” “JN” and “JW” for ordnance inspectors Luther Sage, Elisha Tobey, Justin Murphy, John Newbury, and Jos. Weatherhead respectively.
History:
The U.S. Ordnance Department showed Simeon North a sample pair of pistols from the Harper’s Ferry Armory on June 12, 1819. North then produced a pistol similar to that of Harper’s Ferry with a few alterations. He signed a contract with the U.S. on July 21, 1819 producing 10,000 pistols. A total of 20,400 were made.
This pistol’s sliding safety bolt is rare for a pistol from this year. When these pistols were converted to percussion, this bolt was often removed because it got caught on holsters. This pistol also introduced the iron swivel ramrod. It was created because wooden ramrods often fell out of pistols and were lost.
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, 142.
Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 164.
This .52 caliber smoothbore flintlock dueling pistol was made by Simeon North. It has a browned octagonal barrel with blued breech inlaid, gold bands and a cartouche. It has a silver and blued mounted, half-cock safety behind the hammer. This pistol also has an iron front sight and open back sight. It has a finely engraved trigger guard and barrel tang but the silver oval escutcheon behind the tang is not engraved. There are finely checkered grips and horn tipped stocks with a wooden ramrod and horn tip.
The only stamped engraving on the gun is on the lockplate. Under the flashpan is the stamp “S. North”.
History:
In 1804, duels were common practice in America. It was a way for men from all walks of life to defend their honor. The process begins when one man offends another. He then has an intermediary called a Second challenge the offender to a duel. If he accepts, the offender then chooses the weapon.
Because of the Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr Duel, the popular weapon of choice was a large caliber smoothbore pistol like Simeon North’s Model 1817. This gun was chosen for many reasons. Between the years 1750-1850, it was common for a man in America to own a pair of pistols similar to this type. Also the smoothbore makes the gun relatively inaccurate -- duels did not always result with a death.
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, 142.
Pbs.org. “History of Dueling in American,” The American Experience. .
Hussey, Jeannette. The Code Duello. National Portrait Gallery: Washington: 1980
Henry Rifle, serial number 6, .44 caliber, forged steel, wooden stock, engraved gold mounting with floral design and “Lincoln/ President/U.S.A." on right side. Top of barrel is stamped “Henry’s Patent Oct. 16, 1860/Manufactured New Haven Arms Company New Haven, Ct.”
Specific History
This gold-mounted, engraved Henry rifle was presented to Abraham Lincoln in an effort to obtain his influence in their purchase for the war effort. This rifle was awarded the National Rifle Association Collectors Society Gold Medal as an outstanding historical firearm.
General History
The Henry, the first practical, lever action, repeating rifle, is the immediate forerunner of the famous Winchester rifles. About 14,000 were made between 1860 and 1866 by the New Haven Arms Company. Only about 1,731 Henry rifles were purchased by the Ordnance Department between 1862 and 1865. A number of units in the West purchased them at their own expense. It was especially popular in Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Indiana. The 1st Maine and 1st District of Columbia cavalry regiments are known to have been issued Henry rifles. Said one confederate soldier, “It’s a rifle you could load on Sunday and shoot all week long.”
