1,000 Model 1842 pistols were manufactured c. 1852-1853 at the Palmetto Armory by William Glaze and Benjamin Flagg for the South Carolina militia. The latter was previously the superintendent of Asa Waters's factory in Milbury, Massachusetts. They are believed to have been assembled from condemned and overrun parts from Aston and Johnson from the U.S. contracts. There are far less surviving examples today than originally made, as many saw heavy use with the Confederacy throughout the Civil War. The barrel has a brass blade front sight, captive ramrod, "P/V/(palmetto tree)" on the upper left, "Wm. GLAZE & CO." on the left flat, and "1853" date marking on the upper tang. The lock is marked "PALMETTO, ARMORY/(palmetto tree)/S*C." at the center and "COLUMBIA/S C 1852" at the tail, with no visible markings on the interior of the lock or on the bolster. The pistol is accompanied by a scanned copy of the Man at Arms article "The Origin of the Palmetto Pistols" by Lewis F. Southard, and various consignor supplied research papers, and an extra mainspring. Provenance: The Rick Word Collection; Property of a Gentleman

Good with applied brown patina on the iron surfaces, moderate flash pitting with filing marks visible on top of the percussion nipple, clear lock markings, and a bright golden appearance on the brass with numerous scattered dings and scuffs. Stock is very good as professionally restored, with areas of discoloration, various spliced repaired sections and filler, some cracks, and scattered light handling marks. Mechanically fine.