Jesse Butterfield manufactured only very small quantity of high quality copies of Henry Deringer's distinctive pocket pistol pattern in the late 1850s before production shifted to his more well-known brass frame revolvers. Very few of these pocket pistols still survive today. Like most Deringer style pistols, surviving examples generally show wear from years spent in a coat pocket. That is not the case with this example! It is in very fine condition throughout and obviously used little if at all. It is numbered "11." The barrel also has a copper striped faux Damascus finish that is the same style used on Henry Deringer's pistols and often not used by other gunmakers. It has seven-groove rifling, a brass blade front sight, and "11" and a notch rear sight on the banded breech. The lock plate, barrel tang, breech, and German silver accents are engraved with primarily scroll patterns. The trigger guard also has a pineapple finial. The lock has "BUTTERFIELD'S/PATENT DEC 11. 1855" at the top. "1" is marked on the underside of the barrel, breech plug, wedge, and lock and by the trigger guard screw. The stock has a plain nose cap, engraved wedge plates, scroll engraved decorative side plate, attractive multi-point checkering, and a tear drop shaped buttplate. Butterfield also received contracts in the late 1850s and early 1860s for converting rifles and muskets. What is particularly interesting about his firearms is that they are self-priming using a disc system he patented. The self-priming mechanism is integral with the lock plate. A tube of primers is fitted through the front of the lock plate. The knurled cap at the base of the tube unscrews to allow the loading of primer discs. Once filled, a new primer is positioned each time the hammer is cocked. Unfortunately for Butterfield, self-priming percussion firearms were generally abandoned by the 1860s because they were more complex and therefore more expensive and less reliable than using traditional percussion caps. Had they been more popular, they still would have been quickly replaced as metallic cartridge quickly replaced muzzle loading firearms during and after the Civil War.

Excellent. The barrel retains 95% plus of the original Damascus finish with a blend of bright coppery tones and dark brown finish. The lock and breech display 97% original casehardening, and the hammer has matching finish as well as flourishes of vibrant case colors near the top and nose. The excellent German silver accents have attractive aged patina throughout. The engraving and markings are crisp. The brass primer magazine has a corresponding attractive aged patina. The stock is very fine; it has sharp checkering, scattered small dings and scratches, a small chip by the primer on the bottom right, slight flakes of the finish, and mild edge wear. The lock and primer are mechanically excellent. We have only offered two other Butterfield pocket pistols before, and this is the finest one of the three. The rarity and quality of Butterfield's pistols has long made them among the most highly sought Henry Deringer style pistols. This rare piece is well-suited to an advanced Deringer or antique American arms collection. Do not miss your chance to get your hands on possibly the finest surviving example!