Henry Deringer developed his famous pocket pistol designs in the first half of the 19th century and manufactured them until his death in 1868. Based on his agents and known inscribed examples, it appears they were especially popular with politicians, bankers, and shopkeepers as well as gamblers and miners in the South and California. Less than 20,000 pistols in a variety of configurations are estimated to have been manufactured in Henry Deringer's shop before his death, and many have since been lost or destroyed. This example is very similar to the infamous "Peanut" Deringer used by John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Coincidentally, the man who held Booth's horse for his escape was nicknamed "Peanuts." This example dates to the 1850s or 1860s and has the correct genuine Henry rifling. This was effective at short ranges for which these pistols were used. There are matching "III" factory hand-cut markings on the bottom of the barrel, breech plug, and lock. The barrel has a dovetailed German silver front sight, Deringer's classic brown and copper imitation Damascus finish, a German silver banded breech plug with "DERINGER/PHILADELA" on top, "P" flanked by sun burst designs on the upper left, and a notch rear sight on the integral tang. The floral engraved lock has "DERINGER/PHILADELA" near the tail. The wedge escutcheons, flash plate, trigger guard with late pineapple finial, side plate, thumb plate, tear drop inlay, and the nose plate are all also German silver. Aside from the nose plate, they are all factory engraved.

Very fine, near mint. The barrel retains 98% of the original brown striped barrel finish. The casehardened components display dark bluish brown tones. The German silver has aged patina. There are small traces of gold in the engraving. The stock is excellent and retains most of the original varnished finish, and displays minor edge wear and light handling and storage type marks. The checkering, markings, and engraving are crisp. Mechanically excellent. This is among the finest surviving examples of the scarce "peanut" Henry Deringer pistols. The shortest barrels lengths are particularly hard to find in this condition.