Antique Arms at West Townsend

About Us

Maine Antique Digest Ads

Antiques & Arts Ads

Room & Case Rentals

Sales Policy, Privacy Policy, Consignments & Brokerage

Contacts & Directions

Web Gallery

Main House Gallery

History Gallery

Antique Arms Gallery

Ten Minute Tour

Go to Home Page

Sell Quality Antique Arms at Your Price
AAAWT's Net Return or Fixed Price Programs

AAAWT, Inc. trades in firearms manufactured on or before 1898 ONLY. The U.S. exempts these antiques. Gun laws vary widely from country to country. Please check your own Federal, State, or local laws to determine your legal responsibility. AAAWT, Inc. complies with all applicable firearms and related laws without exception.

Antique Arms Gallery

Entry Page | Menu Page | Long Arms 1 | Long Arms 2
Early Pistols 1 | Early Pistols 2 | Early Pistols 3 | More Pistols 1
More Pistols 2 | More Pistols 3 | Derringers and Pepperboxes
Derringers and Knuckledusters | Curiosa and Interesting | Edged Weapons 1 | Edged Weapons 2 | Canteens, Horns | Flasks, Misc

Frankenau's Patent "Purse Pistol" - SOLD


The Frankenau Combination Pocket Book and Revolver, Patented US Nov 6, 1877, and in Britain Sept 5, 1877 Purse Pistol. The patents refer to this item as a "revolver purse". According to Lewis Winant, the author of Firearms Curiosa, "This unusual leather-covered fabrication has a sheet-metal center frame which divides it into two sections", (one section being a purse and the other section holding a revolver). "The revolver section need be opened only for loading or unloading. It is not opened when the gun is fired. At one end of the frame is a pivoted gate to cover the barrel muzzle, and at the bottom is a well concealed folding trigger. To fire the gun it is only necessary to snap the trigger free and pull it. At the very beginning of the trigger pull, an ingenious contrivance swings the pivoted gate or muzzle cover out of the way. The closed purse revolver is about 4 inches by 2 1/2 inches by 1 1/4 inches." The caliber is 5 mm pinfire, serial number 662. The detachable ejector rod is missing, but the delicate and complex mechanism functions, for the most part, as designed but with a hesitation in the trigger return spring.

980-64/RS-COMM












Copyright 2003-2012, Antique Associates at West Townsend
Website maintained by Aaron Littlefield