ONLY SURVIVING ORIGINAL FLINT MODEL 1819 PATTERN PISTOL PRODUCED AT HARPERS FERRY FOR PRODUCTION BY SIMEON NORTH

ONLY SURVIVING ORIGINAL FLINT MODEL 1819 PATTERN PISTOL PRODUCED AT HARPERS FERRY FOR PRODUCTION BY SIMEON NORTH

01-23200
Cal. 54
NSN

Bbl. 10”. This rare pistol is one of 6 produced at the Harpers Ferry Arsenal in Virginia (now West Virginia) in the year 1819. It is believed that 3 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 6 original patterns, 3 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 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 fore stock. 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.

PROVENANCE: from the Collection of Rick Hudak, author of, “Harpers Ferry Arsenal and Joseph Perkin”.

STATUS: ANTIQUE