Welcome to immediately’s Photo of the Day! James Monroe Jones (J.M. Jones), born into slavery in North Carolina, grew to become one of the crucial expert gunsmiths of his period. After his father bought the household’s freedom, Jones graduated from Oberlin Faculty in 1849 earlier than establishing himself as “Gunsmith Jones” in Chatham, Canada, the place he created among the best firearms of the mid-Nineteenth century. This explicit derringer showcases Jones’s distinctive craftsmanship. The rifled barrel bears his signature and options gold bands and plugs on the breech. Fantastic border and scroll engraving adorns the lock and silver furnishings, whereas the hen’s head inventory shows exact checkering and a Schnabel tip. Past mere technical excellence, this weapon represents a exceptional achievement: a previously enslaved man changing into one in all North America’s premier gunsmiths. Jones received a number of awards for his work, together with medals on the 1859 Montreal Manufacturing and Commerce Honest. Although his talent earned him a fee to create gilt derringers for the Prince of Wales, native racism prevented their presentation – a stark reminder of the obstacles Jones overcame via his artistry.
“Producer: Unknown
Mannequin: Percussion Pocket
Sort: Pistol
Gauge: 41
Barrel: 2 inch octagon
End: brown/casehardened/silver/gold”
Lot 170: J.M. Jones Derringer Percussion Pocket Pistol – Uncommon Documented Gold Banded, Engraved, and Silver Mounted Derringer Percussion Pocket Pistol Signed by African American James “Gunsmith” Jones. (n.d.-a). Rock Island Public sale Firm. {photograph}. Retrieved February 23, 2025, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/4090/170/jm-jones-derringer-percussion-pocket-pistol.
Author | TheFirearmBlog
Author | AllOutdoor.com Instagram | sfsgunsmith Previous soul, licensed gunsmith, printed writer, avid firearm historical past learner, and appreciator of previous and distinctive weapons.
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