Other People's Manhattans
( Manhattan firearms that do not belong to me ...yet!!!)
manhattanfirearms.com

Other People's Manhattans
( double-click on the photos for larger pics )


Okay, I own a few great Manhattans.  Until I started this Website I thought I had "all" the great Manhattans!! HA!!
But I have been proven wrong ...again.  I get photos from a lot of Manhattan collectors whom have Manhattans as good as mine all the
time.  But very rarely do I see a Manhattan that blows me away.  Recently however I received photos of one.  When I started my
Website I only wanted to show Manhattans I owned, figuring only a few friends would ever look at these pages which is about my
collection.  But as more collectors looked in, it seems to be unfair not to show some of the Manhattans that are not in my collection,
but are among the greatest Manhattan's ever made.  Since this is my Website, I get to decide on what makes a Manhattan good
enough to make it to this page.  Here are a few Manhattan's that make even my mouth water!

Manhattan Navy "One of One Hundred" Serial # 36

Manhattan Firearms during the Civil War manufactured a set of approximately 100 pistols of the Series III design.  These
guns are mostly Ivory gripped and/or engraved.  They have their own serial number range of #1 to 100.  Several have
been Inscribed to Civil War Officers. I reason that near the end of the war there was a market for presentation guns and
Manhattan decided to make a run to have these guns ready to go.  But, maybe they were made as salesman samples to
send to dealers to show Manhattan quality workmanship.  No two have been alike that I have found. I know of less than 10
of these guns to exist in books, old catalogs, and in collections.  So there are still some out there somewhere waiting to be
found.  Here is one of these owned by a fellow collector George who agreed to share this with all of us.
Manhattan Series III Navy Sn# 36 Right Side
Manhattan Series III Navy Sn# 36 Left Side
Carved Ivory Grips on Sn# 36
(at first glance I assumed this to be an English Royal Seal with
two lions as part of a Royal Crest )
Close up of Missouri State Seal on Sn# 36

This carving is of the Missouri State Seal. It show two Bears,
The Roman numeral MDCCCXX (the year of Missouri Statehood),
and the State Motto "Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto".
The  Missouri State Seal


Manhattan Navys "One of One Hundred" Serial # 23 and # 94

So... again a different collector named George shared with me his best Manhattans.  And sure enough they are also both
"One of One Hundred" Pistols.  I am thinking of changing my name to George!!

Waldo Nutter in his book Manhattan Firearms tells us that these guns might have been made to showcase the new "spring
plate patent".  But, these guns are all presentation grade and seem to be made for Civil War presentaions.
Serial # 23 is formerly from the Nutter Collection and is pictured in Manhattan Firearms on pages # 150, 152 and 156.  
Oddly Navy #23 is not factory engraved.  This is the only factory ivory gripped Manhattan I have ever seen that is not
engraved. Navy Serial # 94 is an engraved and ivory gripped Model.  

Probably the most famous and valuable of the "One of One Hundreds" Manahttans is serial # 43.  
It is a presentation Manhattan Navy given to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. It is pictured on page 164 in Nutter's book.

Thanks to George for sharing these guns with me!! Enjoy the photos.
(Don't blame George for the quality of the photos, Chris H. took them!!)
Manhattan Navys serial number 94 (top)
and serial number 23 (bottom)
The "One of One Hundred" Manhattans do not
have serial numbers in the usual places, but have
"hidden" numbers on the individual parts.
Serial number 94 is engraved and ivory gripped.
Serial number 94 (left side).
Serial number 23 is ivory gripped
It was in Waldo Nutter's collection.
Serial number 23 (left side).


Manhattan Navy Serial Number 22673
Captain A.F. Deniston Inscribed, Engraved
With Carved Ivory Grips

So what more do you want in a Manhattan Navy? This Manhattan Navy model has it all!!!

This gun is still in Captain Deniston's family, thanks to them for sharing it with all of us! Captain Deniston was in the
47th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  This gun was given to him by his friend Major George Ross.
One of the best Manahttans I have seen.  Just look at the photos this gun speaks for itself!!
Captain Deniston Series III Manhattan Navy
Serial # 22673
Carved "Lady Liberty" Ivory grips
Inscription
"Presented to Capt. A.F. Deniston
by his Friend Maj. Geo. Ross"
Serial number 22673 Barrel Address.
Serial number 22673
Serial number 22673 (Left Side).
Serial number 22673 (Right Side).

Manhattan Presentation Navys of U.S. Surgeon G.W. France

Fantastic inscribed Civil War set  Presented to G.W. France. I can't think of anything to say about them
other than what the photos say for themselves. I am speechless!!

These guns were also shown on the cover of Gun Report and also in the color section
of the 9th edition of The Flayderman's Guide to American Antique Firearms.

Thanks to my friend Eric for sharing these with me.

Manhattan Navy Model Serial #2

Here is Manhattan Navy Model Series I Serial # 2 that is owned by my new friend Curt. It has a 5” barrel and the
trapezoidal cylinder notches found on the early guns.  It has the series I barrel address of “MANHATTAN FIRE ARMS
MF'G. CO. NEW YORK".  It also has a military style holster with a note that has always been in with the pistol. Curt
explains the note….

”The note, which was folded up and tucked inside the holster with the pistol, has been with it for as long as anyone knew,
fifty years ago. It is penciled on a scrap of paper and reads: "DAD, I TUCK THIS OF A DEAD MAN ON STREAT
LAURENSE KANS, BOB". It appears that "Bob" had fallen in with bad companions, one of whom was named Quantrill. I
have been able to find only four men named "Bob" or "Robert", who are known to have ridden with Quantrill, so that
narrows it down a bit. The initials "H B" that are carved into the left grip, appear to match only one known victim of
Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas. He was a grocer named Harlow Baker, who was shot down on the street along with
three other men. Though left for dead, Baker did not die, eventually recovering from his wounds. Of course "Bob" would
not have known this. There is no way to prove whether or not this note is genuine, but it does add another dimension to
the history of a Manhattan Navy that was already unique in being serial number 2.”

As a final note, Waldo Nutter in his book “Manhattan Firearms” says he saw serial number #1, but its condition was poor.
If anyone knows where it is, let me know!

Ugly Manhattan Pocket Model Conversion

So, I started out to put the best of other peoples Manhattans, then this happened. OMG!!
The ugliest Manhattan in existence!!  A percussion BB gun? HAHA!  Here is Rick's email......

Manhattan toy gun info Up Date
I thought the metal shaft protruding out of the back of the barrel was like a plunger the would push a item (dart) out
of the barrel when struck by the hammer NOT SO !!!!After some cleaning I found that this was a Precussion nipple
-- You would place a percussion cap on the nipple -- drop a BB down barrel and fire away  I thought this new info
would be interesting to add to the story. Thank You -- Rick

I laughed until I cried!! I love this Manhattan!!!  Enjoy.