Lindsay Two Shot Pistol, Large Frame
date: label: date made
content: ca 1863
name: label: maker
content: J. P. Lindsay Mfg. Co.
label: maker
content: Union Knife Co.
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description:
label: Description
content: This .45 caliber muzzle-loading smoothbore two shot percussion pistol was made by the Union Knife Company of Naugatuck, CT for J. P. Lindsay. Its superposed loads were fired in correct sequence by double hammers. It has a brass frame, a part octagonal/part round barrel, two percussion hammers and two piece walnut grips.
label: Description
content: The trigger guard and steel frame are both stamped with the serial number 112. By the two hammers is the stamp “LINDSAY ARMS/YOUNG AMERICAN”.
label: Description
content: History:
label: Description
content: J.P. Lindsay was a former employee for the Springfield Armory. He began his own business by patenting cartridges and locks. On December 17, 1863, the U.S. Government contracted Lindsay to make 1,000 “Young American” single barreled two shot rifle muskets. It is likely that this pistol of the same type was made around that time.
label: Description
content: These two shot percussion pistols were invented by Lindsay but assembled by the Union Knife Company. There were a few variations produced – including the Martial Pistol, the Pocket Pistol, and the Belt Pistol. Around 100 of each type of these pistols were made. Lindsay unsuccessfully tried to get a U.S. Government contract for the Union Knife Company pistols.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Flayderman, Norm. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms…and their Values, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2007. 9th edition.
label: Description
content: Gardner, Robert E. Col. Small Arms Makers: A Directory of Fabricators of Firearms, Edged Weapons, Crossbows and Polearms, Crown Publishers Inc, New York: 1963, p. 117.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Connecticut, Naugatuck
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: The Bitter Collection of Firearms
label: See more items in
content: Military
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: The Adriana and Edwin W. Bitter Family Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1989.0748.07
label: catalog number
content: 1989.0748.07
label: accession number
content: 1989.0748
label: serial number
content: 112
label: collector/donor number
content: P101
objectType: label: Object Name
content: pistol
label: Object Name
content: pistol, percussion
label: Other Terms
content: pistol; Firearms; Caliber .41; Percussion
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: steel (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 30.175 cm; 11 7/8 in
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 3/8 in x 12 1/8 in x 5 3/8 in; 3.4925 cm x 30.7975 cm x 13.6525 cm