Civil War Era Manhattan Series I Pocket Pistol

Description

The Manhattan Firearms Company was founded in 1856 in New York, largely due to the expiration of Colt’s patent in 1857. They produced single-shot pistols, pepperbox pistols, and revolvers of calibers ranging from .22 to .36. While Manhattan had no large government contracts, many of these were privately purchased by officers and men of both sides before and during the Civil War. Approximately 4800 percussion pocket model revolvers in .31 caliber were produced at their Newark, NJ factory between 1858 and 1862, of which approximately 1000 were the Series I. These were basically a copy of the 1849 Colt Pocket Revolver, but did have a few features specific to and patented by Manhattan. This is an early production Series I, featuring a 5-shot, 10-stop cylinder with roll-engraved stagecoach holdup scene. Octagonal 4” barrel, stamped “MANHATTAN FIREARMS/MANUF’G. CO. NEW YORK” on the top flat. Scroll-engraved frame, two-piece walnut grips. Serial number “164” stamped on underside of barrel and wedge, the stamp on the butt of frame obscured. Metal smooth, with a few light scratches, retaining traces of bluing on the barrel. Cylinder scene visible, but worn. Bore is worn. Action functions properly. Grips very good. Overall length 8 5/8”. This example only 7 numbers higher than the other Manhattan Pocket Revolver we have offered on this site, yet this one has the 10-stop engraved cylinder as opposed to the plain 5-stop cylinder of the slightly earlier one. Unusual to find a mass-produced repeating handgun with hand engraving as a standard feature.