During the 1850's Natchez, Mississippi was one of the wealthiest towns in America.  The gunsmiths who worked in Natchez built guns for some very well heeled customers and often produced some very unusual pieces.  This pistol is, for all practical purposes, a late Dueling Pistol.  The drop of the grip, the coming up quality of the architecture, fine sites and adjustable trigger are all characteristics of a Southern Dueling Pistol.  By the 1850's, the caliber of dueling pistols became smaller and rifled bores became common.  Earlier production dueling pistols were smooth bore and rifling was considered to be less than gentlemanly.  This gun has an bore that is approximately 42 caliber.  This piece is astounding in that it has an 18 inch barrel with a patent breech.  Whoever it was made for was farsighted or was in middle to advanced age, as the rear sight is positioned well toward the end of the barrel.  The workmanship on this gun is of the highest quality with good finish and fit and profuse engraving.  The barrel of the gun is turned round at the muzzle.  This is to accommodate a loading block which minimizes the wear at the edge of the bore and aids in precision loading.  H. G. Newcomb was a fixture in the Natchez gun trade for some time and his work is very scarce.  He did make a variety of different guns, i.e. Half Stock Sporting Rifles, Deringers and obviously Dueling Pistols. A very significant Southern made pistol.  P.O.R.  SOLD!!