Colt "lord and Lady" derringers

btolliverjr

New member
I am looking for information on a set of Colt .22 cal "lord and lady" derringers. They are not mine and I don't have a lot of information on them. I am researching for a friend. Here is a pic
Derringers2.jpg

Derringers1.jpg

The barrels are stamped .22 cal short Colt Hartford Ct USA the wooden grip serial # 50517der and the pearl grip serial # 50518der. From what I have found about the serial numbers, they were shipped from colt in 1976. Does anyone know what the value of these guns would be?
Any help or information would be much appreciated
NOTE: There is only one set. It is just two different pics of the same set
 
I see in my mind's eye a foppish gentleman and a bawdy lady drinking tea in a drawing room wagering on dominoes. He catches her cheating and she whips out the Lady Derringer from a garter beneath her long skirt. He counters by drawing the Lord Derringer from the frilly cuffs of his shirt. They both fire simultaneously. Her shot bounces harmlessly off the flask he keeps in his vest pocket. His shot bounces off the locket she wears around her neck. Now, both unarmed, they become magnetically attracted to each other and . . .
 
What an imagination you have :eek: While that is a pretty neat story you came up with, that doesn't help me at all on the value. Thanks for the story though.
 
I had one once but it was not the Colt marked, I don't think. I think it was Butler brand and in any case the company that made them marked Colt went on to make them under their own name for sale. I don't think they have much interest to Colt collectors, as being a repro. I think they may be a copy of an original Colt that was made in like maybe .41 rimfire or such. The only problem I had was that screw that the barrel pivots on kept getting loose all the time. Probably one of the least in-demand Colt collectables anyway. Well they used to be cheap but market might have driven up the asking prices by now. You ain't gonna make a house payment with the money you make on them.
 
lord and lady derringers

I also have a set,, my dad bought for my mom back in the 70's,, as for the price,, these guns have never been fired,, and will never be,, i have had offers as high as 750 dollars for them and turned them down,, they are in the original case, and as perfect as they can be,,
 
lord and lady derringers
I also have a set,, my dad bought for my mom back in the 70's,, as for the price,, these guns have never been fired,, and will never be,, i have had offers as high as 750 dollars for them and turned them down,, they are in the original case, and as perfect as they can be,,

I have looked at these before and $750 seems very very high to me, even for unfired. If you have any interest at all I would call whoever offered the $750 ASAP
 
I have a couple of sets, I think. Been a few years since I layed eyes on them. They were sold with different packaging and the packaging is generally what counts. I believe the set that looks like a book are the most valuable last I looked into them.

Price in NIB condition > $250-$300 for a pair (retail). $75 a piece if you are lucky at a gun shop. They are slow sellers and have not appreciated much in the last 15 years compared to many other Colts. I think I paid $100 per gun or perhaps a little less.

If you really had an offer for $750 and you wanted to let go of them, by all means sell them for that price.
 
The Lord Derringer was .22 short only with a side pivoting Thuer action black chrome barrel gold plated tram with walnut grips.
The Lady Derringer also a .22 short only with the Thuer action fully gold plated with pearlite grips .
They were sold by them selves and as sets 1/ the lord and lady set was one of each with consecutive serial #'s starting with a DER. 2/ the lord cased set,3/ the lady cased set. I believe the sets started with the serial number DER 1000 but completely sure on that number. Last set(Lord & Lady) I saw sold was about a year ago at a LGS and he had them marked in the $425.00 range, give or take $25.00.
 
My older Blue Book gives $495 in 100% condition, $60 less in 98%.

Most of those sets are in unfired condition, but some value is lost if the case has not been cared for. Those guns attracted attention in a gun shop, but few were sold. Most buyers thought they would be a good investment. Nope.

Jim
 
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