1870's Whitneyville Model 1 Pocket Pistol

C

CaptainAmerica

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While digging through my attic I managed to stumble upon an Whitneyville Model 1 Pocket Pistol. At the time I didn't know what it was and the torsion spring in the handle was broken, so I took it to a gunsmith to see if it could be repaired. He seemed to believe that it's a super rare firearm and is getting me a quote to see how much to fully restore it. He said that of the ones he's seen it in the nicest condition as a starting point. What is something like that worth?

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Whitney Arms Co. Whitneyville, Connecticut. By the 1870's this once famous firm was reduced to making "Suicide Specials ". Sold under a number of different names such Eagle, Defender and Monitor. Yours is a typical firearm as shown in Fayerman's under the Title Sucide Specials . Value is very low and I for one ( unless it is a Heirloom ) can see no justication for the expense of restoration. They sold for less than 2 dollars when brand new. Sorry about that However that is just MHO and like belly buttons everyone has an opinion :D
 
If the gunsmith offers you a bunch of money, take it and thank him as you run out the door. In one sense he may be right, it is not a real common gun, but it takes more than rarity to make a gun valuable. There is some collector interest in those "suicide specials" and they are inexpensive enough that a nice display can be made at minimal cost. But most of the attraction, aside from variety, is that they are cheap.

Jim
 
Eghads, that was my very first "real" gun.
I was maybe 11 or 12 years old.
My grandpappy found it someplace and gave it to me for a toy.
Little did he know!
I found ammo for it and shot it a few times.
Can't remember if it was .22 rimfire or .32??
Wonder what ever happened to it.
Could it be..............naw.
 
I have one of those around someplace; I think I paid $45 for it a couple of years ago. If that gunsmith is offering big bucks for that rare gun, ask him if he would like a matched pair.

Jim
 
You were lucky. A buddy of mine found one similar to it in an old house when we were teens. He fired one short in it and blew it into three pieces.
 
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