Holster Pistol
date: label: date made
content: ca 1780
name: label: maker
content: Earle, Thomas
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description:
label: Description
content: This .38 caliber rifled flintlock pistol was made by Thomas Earle of Leicester, Massachusetts. It is pin fastened with brass mountings. It has a light colored fruitwood stock with horn tipped forend and floral pattern carvings around the barrel tang.
label: Description
content: A raised “TE” in a sunken oval is stamped on the left side of the barrel. The lockplate is stamped “T. EARL.”
label: Description
content: History:
label: Description
content: Thomas Earle was a prominent American gunsmith during the late 18th century. He was in business from 1770 through 1790. His factory was often frequented due to its location on the Great Post Road in between Boston and Philadelphia.
label: Description
content: The appearance of this pistol is unusual for the time period. The butt cap has an English Cavalry appearance while the lock and trigger have a German influence. It is possible Earle studied his trade in Europe and England.
label: Description
content: This pistol is also unique because it is the only known pistol signed by Earl. He was known to sign his long arms. There are four other fowling pieces and one fusil piece that bear his signature, but this example is the only pistol.
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. 57.
label: Description
content: Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 62.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Massachusetts, Leicester
label: associated place
content: Germany
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: 1985.0783.08
label: accession number
content: 1985.0783
label: catalog number
content: 1985.0783.08
label: collector/donor number
content: P68L
objectType: label: Object Name
content: pistol
label: Object Name
content: pistol, flintlock
label: Other Terms
content: pistol; Firearms; Flintlock; .38 In; Rifled; Muzzle Load; Sa
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (part material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 14 1/8 in; 35.8775 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 14 1/8 in x 5 1/2 in x 2 in; 35.8775 cm x 13.97 cm x 5.08 cm