4250

EXTRAORDINARY ENGRAVED GOLD & PEARL STAFFORD

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
EXTRAORDINARY ENGRAVED GOLD & PEARL STAFFORD
DERRINGER. Cal. .22. S# 357. Doug Eberhart & Larry Wilson in their 1993 text “The Derringer in America-Vol. 2-The Cartridge Period” “The patent for the Stafford derringer pistol was issued to N. L. Babcock of New Haven, March 20, 1860 …. It appears that Civil War carbine maker J. H. Merrill was the maker of the Stafford pistols. Very little is known of the T.J. Stafford company… has spring-loaded latch which holds the bbl. up & locked for firing. The hammer falls into a groove cut in the latch when fired thereby further securing the bbl.. When the latch is pressed (pistol on half cock), the bbl. balls open downward, exposing the chamber for loading & extracting….About 20 examples of engraved Stafford’s been recorded, from the same hand as the standard Henry rifle factory engraving.” This is a beautiful little gun that glistens like a piece of jewelry. CONDITION: near excellent, bbl. retains 95% plus original blue finish. Frame retains virtually all its gold plate. ”T.J. STAFFORD. NEW HAVEN” stamped on bbl. is lightly struck but all discernible. “PATENTED / MARCH 19, 1860” stamped on bottom of butt & well discerned. Engraving is all crisp, well fit smooth mother of pearl grips have blue/green & red iridescence, small chip in right grip at frame. Mechanically fine, bright crisp bore. (01-18870/JS). ANTIQUE. $2,000-3,000.