Matched Pair of Flintlock Pistols Signed by H. Albright

Pistols Belonged to Col. Robert Peebles who fought in Washington's Army at Princeton

Pistol one 10-1/8" full oct .45 Cal rifled and engraved bbl signed in script "H. Albight". There is a heart shaped silver inlay on each side forward of lock and sideplate. Pistol has attractive curly maple stock with incised forestock molding which tails off into an incised carved snake design ending just short of the silver forend inlay at the rear ramrod pipe. Silver oval inlay on top of wrist ahead of which are two silver finely engraved inlays running forward from wrist inlay to sides of bbl tang. Brass buttcap is nicely engraved with a spur that runs 1-3/4" up rear of grip. Brass trigger guard has engraved oval on bow and nicely figured tang. Pistol has a hand forged German flint lock. Heavy beveled brass sideplate is nicely engraved. Pistol two is identical pistol one except that forend molding line that runs into snake like carving at rear ramrod pipe ends under the heart shaped silver inlay. Henry Albright was born Aug 5, 1772, in Lititz, PA. He lived in Lititz, then moved to Chambersburg in 1796 and to Shippensburg, PA 1798. He relocated to Nazareth, PA in 1814 where he stayed until he died in 1845. This pistol could have been made anytime after 1793. Albright was a master engraver of brass mounts and silver inlays, and a master carver. This is one of the only, if not the only, surviving pair of signed H. Albright pistols. In a letter from Joe Kindig to Herman Dean Kindig states he owned these pistols previously and has only recently bought them back. He then felt they dated about 1775 because they came from the family of Col. Robert Peebles who was a Colonel in Washington's Army who fought at Princeton and is buried in Middle Springs, Cumberland County, PA. The family testified that these pistols had belonged to Col. Robert Peebles. At that time Kindig felt they were the best pistols he ever owned. In fact, since Henry Albright was born in 1772 the pistols surely were owned by Col. Peebles at a much later date than when he was serving with Washington. These pistols were awarded the Kentucky Rifle Association's Silver Medal for Best Pistol in 1984. This pair were pictured on p 12 of The Kentucky Pistol by Chandler & Whisker. 

PROVENANCE: Ex Kindig, Herman Dean and Clem Caldwell Collections. Frank Sujansky Collection. 

CONDITION: Pistol one there is a break in grip which was stabilized in period. Otherwise pistol one appears to be complete and orig. Pistol two lock has been reconverted and again otherwise pistol appears complete and orig. Each of the two pistols has a small hole forward of trigger guard within a circle, evidence of having had the identification tacks used by Herman Dean on guns in his collection. 4-49458 RG30 (50,000-75,000)

Copy and photos from James Julia.