Our Price: sold

Elaborate High Art Chiseled Steel, Gold Inset 'HYDE & GOODRCH' New Orleans Target Pistol. OWNED BY YANKTON, DAKOTA TERRITORY GUNSMITH. 56 Bore (About 44 cal). 16” Overall. 10” octagonal  bariel with unique textured “damascene” etching, gold inset lettering in gold inset frame “HYDE & GOODRICH IN NEW ORLEANS”.

Iron mounted, set trigger, adjustable rear notch sight, inset fine blade front sight. Lock, breech, side plate, triggerguard, and tang are relief chiseled with gold backgrounds, intricate designs include angel, musketeer, dragon heads, medieval knight in armor. Buttcap finely sculpted & engraved. Stock has fluted & relief carved grip, fore end carved lion’s head, detailed glass eyes w/ pupils.

Stamped on top of bbl. in 2 lines “H. W. WHITE / YANKTON, DK”. Hiram Wallace White (1819-1903) early citizen of Yankton, Dakota Territory & gunsmith as listed in 1880 Yankton census, & earlier ones in Illinois. Hiram was also inventor & traveler. Where could he have got this wonderful antebellum Southern piece of firearm art. Hyde & Goodrich was the leading fancy goods store in New Orleans from 1829 to 1861. A New Orleans reporter in late 1860 as the Civil War was about to begin, noted that the Hyde & Goodrich window displays instead the usual diamonds & silver items, “windows now occupied by trophies of magnificent arms of every description”. Of the surviving high grade firearms emblazoned with Hyde & Goodrich’s name, nothing compares to quality and condition of this one.

Fine overall condition metal overall gray/bright retaining most of its gold background. Only the bariel tang extension on back of grip lacks gold & overall silver/gray patina. There is a well disguised crack repair on wrist between carved fluting and lock plate. PROVENANCE: ex-William Orbello collection of dueling pistol, Collection of John Montague

Order/Inquire about this item