POTD: A Whole Three Barrels – Marston W W & Co Derringer Pistol 22 RF
Sam.S 07.27.21
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a Marston tri-barrel derringer with a knife blade that is retractable. Unfortunately, there were not any proper photos of the knife blade so allow me to explain. On the left side of the pistol are a pair of small wings in which the user can slide toward the muzzle exposing a double-sided blade. Besides that this pistol is a 22 rimfire and can be broken in half by simply twisting the key on the right-hand side. More from Rock Island Auction Company is below:
“Rare and unique exhibition quality engraved, Marston superposed three-barrel deringer with retractable knife blade. This pistol was engraved and signed by Master Engraver Louis Daniel Nimschke. (The consignor states that this pistol was originally in Nimschke’s personal possessions), and was recently sold at public auction by his present day heirs. William Marston of New York City manufactured an estimated 400 three barrel deringer pistols with retractable knife blades between 1858 and 1864. The pistols had a silver-plated brass frame, blued superposed barrels and two-piece walnut grips. Some of the deringers, such as this example, were elaborately engraved. The pistol has a three-inch, spear-point blade on the left side of the barrel that locks in place with a spring clip. A round firing indicator is located on the right side of the frame…
…The diminutive pistol is elaborately engraved and signed “N” by Louis Nimschke on the inside of the grip strap. The pistol has Nimschke’s American style scroll engraving on the frame, barrel latch, butt, backstrap and grip strap and on the barrel top breech and muzzle. The frame engraving has a stippled background and the barrel and barrel latch engraving has a punch-dot background. The top of the barrel latch is decorated with a United States shield motif. The left side of the frame features a winged, fire breathing dragon and a serpent. The right side of the frame is decorated with a rampant wolf. The barrel muzzles have wavy lined borders. A panel with wavy lines and dots surrounds the brass front sight. Wavy line and dot borders surround the frame engraving. The screw heads are decorated with floral designs. L.D. Nimschke was a prolific engraver who executed custom engraving on over 100 different makes of firearms. “
Lot 1280: Marston W W & Co Derringer Pistol 22 RF [Photograph found in Auction Catalog #49, Rock Island Auction Company]. (n.d.). Retrieved July 26, 2021, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/49/1280/marston-w-w-co-derringer-pistol-22-rf
