#264 I have seen Suter derringers in many sizes and this is about as large as they come. Although the barrel is slightly over 4”, other derringer makers made them even longer. The stock is German silver mounted and has provision for a ramrod. The buttcap is a German silver rosette held in place by a steel wood screw. Typical derringer German silver trigger guard with pineapple finial. Suter was good at copying Henry Deringer’s trigger guard. Two gold bands are at the breech of the barrel and the front sight is completely made of German silver that is dovetailed into the flat. Barrel is round with a rib at the top. Caliber is .410. All markings of Suter guns that I have seen appear to be marked with the same two hand stamps with the name and the town in different stamps. This specimen is marked in one line with two different stamps as follows: C. Suter, Selma, Ala. C. SUTER #243 Again we have an extra small derringer by Suter of Alabama. German silver mounted throughout and there is no screw through the trigger plate holding the barrel to the stock. No provision for ramrod. Round barrel has two bands at the breech in gold and in silver with a dovetailed German silver front sight. The barrel is marked on the right hand side below the top flat “steel.” The barrel is marked in two lines on the top flat as follows: C. Suter, Selma, Ala. HORACE E. DIMICK & CO. #272 H. E. Dimick of course is so well known that a description of his history of operations is not necessarily of interest in this little book but we are going to use it anyway. In the course of several years of collecting, I have seen no less than 10 or 12 H. E. Dimick derringers, all with the same type of small markings on the top barrel flat. Invariably the lock plates are not marked but do have a floral pattern engraved in place. They are always long and slender and are not large guns and are not heavy. This piece is made without ramrod and with German silver mountings throughout. The trigger plate finial is in the shape of a pineapple. The barrel has a brown twist steel imitation finish. The German silver front sight is milled into the barrel and is not dovetailed. Caliber is .390. The barrel is marked on the top flat at a slight angle showing hand stampings with one die stamp and one line as follows: H. E. Dimick This name will be noted in all of the 1859 Saint Louis City Directories. Dimick was probably the best known and prolific of all the secondary St. Louis riflemakers and his guns stood on their own reputation. He came from Kentucky to establish the St. Louis Gun Shop at 38 North Main Street in 1849. From 1849 through 1864, the firm was known as H. E. Dimick & Co. From 1865 until Mr. Dimick’s death in 1873 the listing was simply H. E. Dimick. Thus, here is a clue towards dating your guns with this mark.