Can you identify this pistol? (advertised as a Derringer)

[Andrew17019]

This showed up for sale on one of my local classified boards advertised as an antique Derringer.




Seller posted no info and wrote the ad like a 4 year old (honestly, it's probably an older guy, since the hand in this picture looks older:




He's asking a ridiculous amount for it, and I'm wondering if anyone can identify this and perhaps provide me with any details as to the background, age, or approximate selling value of this pistol.

Thanks for the help!

[knight0334]

Its a "Philadelphia" style derringer.

They have been made for the last 170 years or so by many manufacturers. Without stampings and proof marks we couldn't identify it's origin. They are still available in kits and assembled today, and are common. People like to artificially age them to make them appear older than they are and pass them off as some artifact.

It can be worth as little as $20 to a few hundred dollars. Without detail markings, pass on it..

[abner13]

It's hardly an antique. It a 'Philadelphia Derringer" , a single shot black powder pistol , sold in the late '70s-early'80s by CVA , Connecticut Valley Arms , either as a kit , or finished pistol. I built mine from a kit around 1980. Uses a .440 patched round ball IIRC. Parts were made in Spain or Italy. Value is about $20-30.

[Connal]

Looks like a replica to me. There is some patina on the metal, but the wood looks almost like it has been refinished.

I would say it might be 30, 40 years old. My dad had one that was almost identical to that, and it was some kind of kit he had gotten and put together.

Now, I could be wrong. That could be an antique. However, as you can see, there is no rod, which makes it seem quite suspect to me.

Here is a picture of an older, similar style pistol.




(edit) Looks like a few people chimed in before me.

[Andrew17019]

I was thinking it was a Philadelphia style Derringer, but I wasn't sure if there are any easy ways to tell if it's a copy or not, or if it was artificially aged (as you mentioned). I emailed for a copy of the inscription (if there is any). I'm probably not going to purchase this, but just wanted to see if there was anything to it, since it's listed at $3500. In my mind, unless this shot Lincoln, there's no way it should bring half that much.

[den9]

i had no idea john derringer was born in easton. this type of pistol was used to assassinated lincoln

[HiredGoon]

John Wilkes Booth killed President Lincoln with a shot in the back of the head near his left ear. This pistol (pictured above) was the weapon he used.

Manufactured by Henry Derringer, this .44 caliber is about 6 inches long with a 2 1/2 inch barrel and only weighs 8 ounces.

The weapon was found on the floor of the State Box in Ford's Theatre after the assassination, but it located today in the basement of Ford's Theatre.

http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/...ncoln/gun.html

[Connal]

i had no idea john derringer was born in easton. this type of pistol was used to assassinated lincoln

You are thinking Henry Deringer, the second "R" in the last name, was added to make the pistol style of a "Derringer", legally. I believe the real original Deringer pistols of that style were manufactured from the 1840s-1860s. I think I am off on the years though.

And yeah, if this guy wants 3,500 for it, there better be the keys to a nice camper wedged in the barrel. Is it nice? Eh, it's not bad for being a copy. The problem is, if it is a hundred years old, it could be worth $100-$150. If it is one of the more common 60s-80s kit, it is maybe worth twenty.

[Andrew17019]

The price raised flags in my head, I don't think I've ever seen anything of this style/age being more than $400, so I was just checking to see if there was anything intrinsically valuable about this particular classified find. Thanks for the help guys.

[falcn]

Here is a kit you can still buy from dixegunworks

link is to the pop-up picture - same angles on the wood as the one you show, same metalwork too.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/images/PH0852.jpg