This elegant single-shot, percussion pistol dates about 1850, has a six-inch barrel of about .50 caliber, and was fitted with a belt hook on the left and a swivel ramrod. This is a typical antebellum gentleman’s pistol, perhaps originally cased as a pair, and shows very nice floral engraving on the top, tang, and both sides of the receiver, as well as on the hammer, triggerguard, and buttcap, which is fitted with a small compartment for percussion caps and lid with starburst design.

The metal is smooth. The hammer shows strong remnants of faded blue. The barrel is a muted silver with diagonal gray striations showing it was blued or browned with a faux Damascus pattern. It has a simple wood replacement ramrod in it, but the forward frame shows clearly it had a swivel ramrod assembly, which was popular on pistols to be carried on the belt or while mounted to prevent loss of the rod. This also shows the base of belt hook on the left side, secured by two screws at rear of the receiver. The grips were finely checkered full length, stopping just short of the butt cap. There is a little chipping around the buttcap, softening to the checkering from handling, but only a few handling dings or scratches. The mechanics are perfect.

The pistol is not marked by the maker, but shows Birmingham proofs on the left barrel flat and receiver. “W M / GLAZE” is nicely engraved on top of the receiver, forward of the notched sight and next to the hammer. The barrel is inlaid with two silver bands, wide and narrow, at the breech. A little forward of that is Glaze’s address, “COLUMBIA S.C.” Glaze was in business with Thomas Radcliff as Glaze and Radcliff from January 1848 to at least March 1851, likely dating the pistol shortly before or after that partnership.

William Glaze (1815-1883) is best known as proprietor of the Palmetto Ironworks and Palmetto Armory, supplier of military arms to the state, but he was active in the jewelry business as early as 1838 in a partnership with John Veal, before setting up on his own in 1841, selling jewelry, clocks, watches, etc., and expanding into silverware, plated goods, spectacles, candlesticks, vases, as well as military goods and firearms of different sorts.

Glaze’s operation has sometimes been likened to a hardware store, but a better classification would be “fancy” or luxury goods, as the quality of this pistol shows. This shows very nicely and would be a great addition to a display of the quality goods he offered for sale.  [sr] [ph:L]

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