Outstanding Henry Deringer "Peanut" Pistol.

Henry Deringer perfected his famous pocket pistol designs before the US Civil War and manufactured them until his death in 1868. Based on his agents and known inscribed examples, it appears they were especially popular with politicians, bankers, and shopkeepers as well as gamblers and miners in the South and California. This scarce example is virtually identical to the infamous "Peanut" Deringer used by John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. This example dates to the 1850s or 1860s and has the correct genuine Henry rifling. This was effective at short ranges for which these pistols were used. The barrel has a dovetailed German silver front sight, Deringer's classic brown and copper imitation Damascus finish, a German silver banded breech plug with "DERINGER/PHILADELA" on top, "P" flanked by sun burst designs on the upper left, and a notch rear sight on the integral tang. The floral engraved lock has "DERINGER/PHILADELA" near the tail. The wedge escutcheons, flash plate, trigger guard with late pineapple finial, side plate, thumb plate, tear drop inlay, and the nose plate are all also German silver. The escutcheon is engraved in contemporary style. The very short barrel version of this pistol is extremely rare and can be considered the pinnacle of any “Deringer” collection. An outstanding example and difficult to better.
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Code: 50513