1. Material:
  2. metal (543)

Philadelphia Deringer Pistol

Creator:
Henry Deringer
Location:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Origin Date:
1852-1865
Materials:
metal, wood
Measurements:
overall: 2 1/2 in x 7 in
Item ID:
71.2009.082.0426a
Holding Institution:
Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, courtesy of the Indiana State Museum
Available for Viewing:
No
Category:
Three-dimensional Objects

Description

This is a Philadelphia Deringer .41 Pistol which is identical to the gun used by John Wilkes Booth to shoot President Abraham Lincoln. The gun handle is made out of wood and has several inlayed decorated metal pieces. The trigger and hammer are both made out of metal and are surrounded by decorative metal. The decorations are mainly swirls and curvy lines. The wood at the end of the handle is also carved in a decorative sideways diamond pattern. The barrel of this gun is flat on top and then rounds into a circle. On top of the barrel the words, "Deringer Philadel" are engraved. The same phrase is engraved in the metal beside the hammer, on the handle. Set with bullet: 71.2009.082.0426b. Henry Deringer's name was often mispelled as "Derringer" and this mispelling was often applied to his pistol as well. Part of the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, courtesy of the Indiana State Museum