Belgian pinfire pistol circa 1810 - 1850
Excellent condition in perfect working order. "E L G" proof mark.
9mm
From Civil War era but not stamped CSA. Purchased in Maine 1989.
Inherited
Maybe
Dear William,
Thank you for your help and patience.
The presented object appears to be a pinfire revolver. The revolver is not stamped or hallmarked. It is comparable in its design to the Chaineaux pinfire revolver which was in usage around 1850/70. The inside of the handle is stamped by the owner "M.S. Earl".
Comparable objects were recently offered and sold on the international auction market.
This piece is in good condition and no severe damage is visible in the images provided.
A fair market estimation would be between 200 to 400 USD.
This estimate is based on actual recent past recorded auction sales of comparable items. Retail "asking prices" can be higher and may vary.
With kind regards,
George
Thank you, George. I trust your research and knowledge and now I know the value of this pinfire handgun.
George- I uploaded 4 more images. There are inscriptions inside the grips that are found when removed from the gun. Also, there are some inscriptions on the ejector that resemble notches as in "kills" maybe? Just above, on the barrel there is the letter "V". I took a photo of the gun in subdued daylight on the windowsill, and I think this shows the patina. I have never fired the gun but I purchased it from an antique dealer who was quite knowledgeable on the subject and told me it is in fine working order. I purchased a 10mm reload to try the pistol out but it is a little too big so I -think- it is a 9mm bore. Please let me know if you received the 4 photos I uploaded just now. Thank you, Bill Rosen