to pinfire

Frankenau, O.
Lewis Winant: Firearms Cusiosa: "American patent 196794 in 1877"
A. W. F. Taylerson, The Revolver 1865 - 1888: "purse pistol, secured by British patent 3375 in 1877"
Chris Curtis, "Systeme Lefaucheux", pages 263 + 264,

"The unusual leather covered fabrication has a sheet metal center frame which divides in two sections. One section holds a compartmented change purse, while the other hold the revolver. The revolver section need be opened only for loading and unloading. It is not opened when gun is fired. At one end of the frame is a pivoted gate to cover the barrel muzzle, and at the bottom is a well concealed folding trigger. To fire the gun it is only necessary to snap the trigger free and pull it. At the very beginning of the trigger pull an ingenious contrivance swings the pivoted gate or muzzle cover out of the way. The close purse revolver is about 4" * 2½ * 1¼"."

FRANKENAU'S PATENT purse pistol, serial # 981, cal. 5mm pinfire, Liège proof,  the function is perfect and the compartment for the small change is complete with claps.   That is not common! In good working order and excellent condition, the best purse pistol I have found in more than forty years of collecting!       $12,500.

FRANKENAU'S PATENT purse pistol
serial # 269, cal. 5mm pinfire, Liège proof, 
the function is perfect - that is not common,
but the compartment for the small change is missing.
Scarce pistol!     $5,900.

\