A cased pair of peanut-size derringers in .50 caliber attributed to James Evans, a Philadelphia maker working between 1850 and 1865. Each pistol has a 1 1/2-inch barrel and measures 5 1/2 inches overall. The furniture is German silver with neat engraving, the wood is excellent, and the metal retains its finish along with the brown striping, so the supplier describes the pair as near new. They sit in a case that the previous collector said came from M.W. Robinson, a New York retailer and distributor; the supplier has not been able to verify that attribution.

This set belongs with a collector of American antique handguns rather than in a holster. The supplier had not encountered peanut-size Evans derringers in .50 caliber as a pair before, and finding two together, cased and in this state of preservation, is the point of the purchase. The .50 bore in so small a frame is also a talking piece for anyone who studies Philadelphia makers of the period.

Key features

• Cased pair of Evans peanut-size derringers, .50 caliber
• 1 1/2-inch barrels, 5 1/2 inches overall
• Engraved German silver furniture, excellent wood
• Near new condition, finish and brown striping present
• Case attributed to M.W. Robinson, New York, unverified

The cased pair ships to the licensed FFL dealer you select at checkout, where you complete the federal Form 4473 and background check before collecting it.