4304 ONLY SURVIVING ORIGINAL FLINT MODEL 1819 PATTERN

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 17,500.00 USD
Estimated at 35,000.00 - 45,000.00 USD
PISTOL PRODUCED AT HARPERS FERRY FOR PRODUCTION BY SIMEON NORTH. Cal. 54. NSN. Bbl. 10". This rare pistol is one of six produced at the Harpers Ferry Arsenal in Virginia (now West Virginia) in the year 1819. It is believed that three versions of this pistol were made, and this is the pattern that was accepted and subsequently produced by Simeon North of Middletown, CT. Of the six original patterns, three are known to still exist, and this is the only pistol extant to remain in original Flint condition. The other two known patterns have been converted to percussion. North ultimately produced slightly more than 20,000 of this style of pistol between 1819 and 1823. The Harpers Ferry patterns produced are discussed on pages 53-55 in the book "THE GUNS OF HARPERS FERRY" by Stuart Brown. This pistol is marked on the left side of the barrel near the bolster "V / P / (eagle head)". The lock has a brass pan and is marked in front of the cock with a droop-wing eagle over "US". Behind the cock, at the base of the lock, is the date "1819", and a sliding safety bolt is located just above the date. Iron trigger guard, buttcap, and side plate. The iron backstrap, that is inset to the back of the grip from the tang to the buttcap, is engraved "HARPER’S FERRY. 1819." There is a large iron single barrel band, which doubles as an entry thimble, in the center of the forestock. This pistol introduces the swivel ramrod into American single-shot pistol production. The stock is stamped "RI" opposite the lock 2" behind the side plate screw. CONDITION: barrel has a dark brown finish with scattered oxidation. The lock also has a dark brown finish and holds both full and half cock. All other iron parts have a similar dark brown finish. Markings throughout the pistol are quite clear. The stock has a crack extending from the front of the trigger guard to the right side, past the lock to the barrel band. A crack on the left side runs from the front of the trigger guard past the front of the side plate to the lower barrel channel. There is another crack that extends from the trigger guard down the left side to the back of the lock. There is a large chip on the left side just above the buttcap. Good bore. PROVENANCE: from the collection of Rick Hudak, author of "Harpers Ferry Arsenal and Joseph Perkin". (01-23200/BF). ANTIQUE. $35,000-45,000.