1. How old is my Manhattan?
Manhattans were made from 1856 until 1873. No one knows exactly which year any particular gun was manufactured. There are no factory records left. But we know which models were made first and last, so sometimes we can make educated guesses and get within a year or two. We do know the dates of different patents and historical data of the incorporation etc. that helps in this process. The Manhattan identification guide pages gives the best guesses.
2. What models did Manhattan make?
Manhattan made many different models. The most common are the .36 caliber Navy percussion revolver and the .22 caliber cartridge revolver. Also the made .31 cailber Pocket Models, pepperboxes, and singleshot pistols. See my Manhattan Guide pages for other models.
3. Where can I find more information on Manhattan Firearms Manufg. Co.?
There is a great book published in 1958 "Manhattan Firearms" by Waldo E. Nutter. You can still find these on-line at used book searches or sometimes on EBay. Also, there is a nice chapter on Manhattans in the "Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms. . . and their values".
4. What is my Manhattan worth?
I consult price guides such as "Flayderman's Guide to American Firearms" as a starting point.
Most dealers seem to price Manhattans as to about twice what they paid for them. If they bought cheap, they sell cheap and high if they paid high. For Manhattan Navy models the asking price seems to be around 2/3rds the price of a Colt. But when the Colt's jump in price, the Manhattans seem to take about 5 years to catch back up to the 2/3rds price level. Thats been true for the last 40 years I have been tracking prices.
5. What can you tell me about my Manhattan shotguns and cartridge pistol marked "Manhattan Arms"?
Manhattan Firearms Company did not make any Shotguns. The confusion comes from the marking Manhattan Arms which is different from Manhattan Firearms marking. Manhattan Arms is not a company but just a trade name used on different makers guns.
According to reference book "Shotgun Markings 1865 to 1940" A List" compiled by Joseph T. Vorisek: Manhattan Arms Co shotguns were made by the following manufacturers: Neumann Feres until 1903, if Belgian made. F. Dumoulin 1903 and after if Belgian made. J.P. Sauer, if German made.
Harrington & Richardson if a single gun. Hunter Arms Company if U.S. made hammerless double.
The Manhattan Arms marked cartridge revolver resembles models also made by Harrington and Richardson.
They were all sold by Schoverling, Daley & Gates, a dealer located in New York City from 1873 to 1940.
6. Should I fix, refinish, or repair my gun?
Good question. You can drastically hurt the value of antique firearms by refinishing it. It is usually best to leave it alone, that's what I do. It may be ok to lightly clean it and have it mechanically repaired by a gunsmith. Most collectors would rather have it as is, and they can fix it themselves if they want to.
7. Can I shoot my Manhattan or American Standard Tool Co .22 revolver?
No! These guns were made for .22 short or long caliber "black powder only". You should not shoot modern ammunition in these.
8. Were there any Manhattans used in the Civil War?
Manhattan decided that if everyone else was selling out to the government, that they would corner the market by selling all their production to the civilian market. Many soldiers carried them, and state militias bought these guns as a personal sidearm for officers. There are government papers showing the U.S. did buy a few Manhattans, but no government contracts were given by the War Department. The Government payment dated September 23, 1861, was for 26 blued seven-shot cylinder pistols and 10 plated seven-shot cylinder pistols and 5000 cartridges. This was payment for a shipment of the new .22 revolvers that had been mistakenly confiscated by the government and given out to army officers.
9. WOW! My Manhattan Firearms Pistol is engraved and still has silver plating on the backstraps!
Manhattan Navy .36 caliber model frames only were engraved by special order only. The cylinder scenes were deeply roll engraved and the backstrap silver plating was thicker than on the Colt's of the era. Where a good cylinder scene is rare on an average Colt Navy. It is rare not to see a scene on an average Manhattan Navy.
Most other Manhattan models (Pocket models, .22 revolvers, pepperboxes, singlehots) all had free standard factory engraving on the frames. Which I'm sure was a big selling point.
Cased, Inscribed, Ivory gripped and Presentation Manhattan pistols, however, are much rarer than Colt firearms of the same era.
10. Where do I get parts??
Original parts are hard to come by. Most people end up trying to hand-fit parts from a Colt 1849 Pocket Model that are close in size. Try also www.dixiegunworks.com. They do have a few reproduction parts like wedges and screws. But they sometimes also need a little file work to fit.
11. What happened to the Manhattan Factory?
The Manhattan factory was located at the corner of Orange and High streets in Newark, New Jersey. This building was destroyed in 1910 in a spectacular fire that killed 25 women workers. Among other uses of the building, the Ironclad U.S.S. Monitor was designed there by John Ericsson!
12. How much did a "new" Manhattan cost?
I have never seen a Manhattan sales advertisement. If someone has let me know! Other Pocket (.31 caliber) pistols at the time of the Civil War were around $9.00. Navy (.36 caliber) pistols were around $13.00. Manhattan sold a small number of Manhattan .22 caliber pistols to the Federal government for around $11.00 each.
13. Does a Manhattan have a "blade" style front sight or a "post" style sight?
Either type is possible. The post-type sight is rarer and seems to be used mostly on later model 4" and 4 1/2" barrels. The smaller Pocket (.31 caliber) models also have both sight types.
14. Who the heck are you and who made you the expert on Manhattan Firearms?
My name is Michael Meuwly and I have been collecting Manhattan Firearms for 45+ years. In my years of running this website I have seen more Manhattans than anyone on the planet that didn't actually work at the Manhattan Firearms factory! LOL. I like to modestly think that I'm the "King of Manhattans"!!
I get asked questions about Manhattans every week that I don't have the faintest idea what the answer is. But I sure am having fun emailing back and forth with other collectors. Please email me and tell me about your Manhattan and how you acquired it.
