Model 1811 Pistol
date: label: date made
content: ca 1812
name: label: maker
content: North, Simeon
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description:
label: Description
content: This .69 caliber smoothbore flintlock Model 1811 pistol was made by Simeon North. It is pin fastened with a full stock and wooden ramrod with a swelled tip. It has brass mountings including an umbrella shaped butt cap.
label: Description
content: The lockplate is stamped under the flashpan with an eagle over “U. STATES” and at the rear is “S. NORTH/BERLIN/CON.” Ordnance inspector “HHP” is stamped in the stock. The barrel has proofmarks. One proofmark is a sunken oval with an eagle head over “CT” and the letter “V” below it. “P” is stamped on the back strap by the tang screw. No internal serial number.
label: Description
content: History:
label: Description
content: North completed the first batch of Model 1811 pistols to change the way the barrel fastened to the stock making disassembly easier. This type of pistol transitioned into an iron double strap barrel band attaching the barrel to the stock. This alteration was created by U.S. Inspector of Arms, M. T. Wickham.
label: Description
content: This type of pistol is unusual because it has no internal serial numbers. Authors of Historic Pistols, Edwin Bitter and Samuel Smith believe this was due to a first attempt to add proofmarks to the barrel. Prior to this pistol, barrels were unmarked.
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, 142.
label: Description
content: Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 142.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Connecticut, Berlin
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: Military
label: See more items in
content: The Bitter Collection of Firearms
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: 1983.0777.08
label: accession number
content: 1983.0777
label: catalog number
content: 1983.0777.08
objectType: label: Object Name
content: pistol
label: Object Name
content: pistol, flintlock
label: Other Terms
content: pistol; Firearms; Army; Flintlock; .69 In; Smooth Bore; Muzzle Load; Sa
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (part material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 15 in; 38.1 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 15 in x 6 3/8 in x 2 3/8 in; 38.1 cm x 16.1925 cm x 6.0325 cm