Manufactured from 1863 to 1865, the Moore No. 1 Deringer was the first large caliber metallic cartridge deringer pistol. The successor to Moore, National Arms Company, was purchased by Colt Firearms Company in 1870. Colt manufactured the Moore/National Firearms Deringer as the "First Model Deringer". This example of the Moore No. 1 Deringer has a silver plated finish and is decorated with the classic Nimschke broad scroll engraving on the barrel and frame in tandem with his signiture large arrow engraving on either side of the barrel and star.The top of the barrel having the standard "MOORE'S PAT.F.A.Co.BROOKLYN N.Y." marking. The barrel underside has the 1863 patent date and the serial number. The deringer has the barrel release button on the right side of the frame, checkering in the grip area and a curved trigger sheath. The pistol comes with a desirable oval case with purple lining, two compartments and black leatherette exterior. The lid of the case has an impressed five pointed star which has the markings "DAVIDSON/PATENT/--NCE" in the center. Six .41 Rimfire cartridges are contained in the case. This deringer is from the esteemed George Gamble collection and includes the book “A Life’s Tapestry of a Collector,” the official pictorial record of the George Gamble collection by George Gamble and R.L. Wilson. Provenance: The Bobby Smith Collection, The George F. Gamble Collection

Excellent. The pistol retains 95% original silver-plating showing some scattered light pitting on the right side of the barrel and frame with some moderate pitting on the left side of the frame and the junction of the barrel and frame. The barrel markings are legible. The case is fine showing wear on the black leatherette around the edges of the lid and the top of the inner case lip. The leatherette hinge is broken. The lid markings are weak but legible. The purple velvet lining is very good with wear limited to some minor compression marks from the deringer. This is an excellent example of an original silver plated Moore's Patent No. 1 Deringer with rarely encountered case.