Product Details
A RARE .210 POPE BROTHERS AIR-PISTOL, serial no. 5834,
manufactured in Boston, USA between 1874-78, with pull-out to cock 8 3/4in. smoothbore barrel (missing fore-sight), cast receiver with moulded notch rear-sight, barrel tensioning flat-spring along the top of air-chamber, the end-cap marked with 'POPE BROS USA' to the centre with various countries patent dates around the circumference, integral smooth birdshead grip with aperture at heel for a detachable wire stock (absent) and exposed spur trigger, traces of original nickel finish, with a period advertising post-card
Provenance: The postcard accompanying this lot was an advert produced by the Pope Mfg. Co. and lists their address as 45 High Street, Boston. It gives the price of this pistol as $5.00 and bears a printed one cent stamp. Interestingly, the card is dated June 27th, 1877 and carries the following hand written note:
Mr Geo. H Hewitt
Springfield
707 State St.
Mass.
Friend George
Your friend Jenney's oil refinery in So. Boston blew up & then was totally destroyed by fire last evening. I am off East this p.m.
Yours John
Whilst this is nothing to do with this air-pistol, it does give an interesting insight into events in Boston at the time. Reported in the New York times on the same date was an article with this excerpt:
There was an explosion at the oil-works of Stephen Jenney Co., in South Boston, at 7:55 o'clock last evening, by which one person is supposed to have been killed. The buildings were entirely destroyed, and a large amount of oil was consumed.
According to history, the Jenney Brothers established their refinery in South Boston in 1812, initially to refine whale oil. In the 1860's, production was entirely given over to production of kerosene and petroleum spirit. The Jenney Brother's business obviously survived the devastating explosion and fire of 1877 as it is listed in 1884 'producing upwards of 500 barrels a day'.
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Estimate £200-300
Pre-1939