SOLD
7,500.00USD+ buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2010 Sep 12 @ 14:29UTC-5 : EST/CDT
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The Sedgley Fist Gun models were extensively written up in Vol 29, No.1 2007 issue of "Man At Arms" Gun Collector magazine. This unique WWII weapon was conceptualized and designed by Captain Stanley Haight, a US Naval Academy graduate in the early 1940s. His basic idea was to develop some kind of basic "last defense" weapon that could be issued to any and all heavy equipment, machine operator or common labors to defend themselves in their day to day job without having to constantly drag around some kind of heavy weapon. His single shot pistol design could be attached to the every day, common leather gloves as issued to all Seabees and construction crews during WWII. It was fired by simply making a fist and punching the attacker, with the actual inertia or force of the punch triggering the weapon to fire straight off the glove and striking the attacker. Captain Haight actually submitted his prototype design through Navy channels in July 1943. It went through rapid field trials, and although the trials identified a couple of short comings in the design, the Navy approved the design and proceeded with the development of the "Fist Gun". On August 25 the R.F. Sedgley offered to produce the initial run of 25 prototypes for test. The barrel and complete firing mechanism would be attached to several different sized common labor leather gloves for testing purposes. Although there was significant interest in this design, and the system was quickly tested and approved by the Navy, it appears that either due to a lack of funding or continued advances in winning the war in the far east, only a very small number were ever produced. These estimates include, only "2" prototypes, with up to "25" examples of the "Preproduction" or "Pilot" models and perhaps a following production run of "25" of the later. To date, of all these initial production runs, only a handful of this rare WWII weapon exist today in private collections or Government agencies, including a sample held by the FBI.
This is the actual very first Original "Prototype" design Fist-Gun as produced (and as pictured and described in the above article). It has the original blockish or squared off barrel and firing mechanism, with the single shot, swing out barrel, with the clear plastic cover on the body of the firing mechanism. This example is correctly chamber in the .410 Gauge, also as noted in the article above, and is correctly mounted to a left hand leather glove. The side of the barrel is correctly hand stamped in four lines, "HAIGHT/ FIST GUN/ TIBURON/ 1943/NINE --- L.H.C.". The clear plastic mechanism cover shows the internal functioning of the pistol with the glove showing only minor signs of use.
BBL: 2 inch
Stock:
Gauge: 410
Finish:
Grips:
Serial Number: NSN
Condition: Excellent overall, with all the markings clear and sharp with the actual firing mechanism clearly visible through the clear plastic cover. The entire mechanism remains in its original "In the White" unblued finish and is fully functional. The leather glove is also in excellent condition with tight stitching overall, showing only minor use with some surface scratches and some darkening with age. Under the front edge of the barrels the glove shows some very minor darkening which may indicate that it was actually fired as some point. Just a super example of certainly a "One of a Kind" fully functional "Prototype" Fist Gun, that comes with a photocopy of the original patent designs and a copy of the noted magazine.
Auction Location:
4507 49th Avenue, Moline, Illinois, 62165, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview: Open to the public Thursday, September 9th from 10 AM to 6 PM and Friday, September 10th from 8 AM to 10 AM.
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
19.5% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
Please contact the auction house for the preferred shipper’s contact information
Payment Details:
Payment Information: Auction sales are strictly for cash, cashier’s check or checks (with prior approval of the management), MasterCard, Visa or Discover. NOTE TO ALL BUYERS: Method of payment will be U.S. currency or certified check drawn on an American bank. All sales are final at the fall of the Auctioneer's hammer. Buyer’s Premium: All bid prices “hammer prices” (means the price at which a lot is knocked down to the purchaser) will be subject to a buyer’s premium payable by the purchaser of 19.5% of the bid price. There is a 2.5% discount for payment with cash, approved check or wire transfer. The premium is added to your successful bid and the two together equal the total purchase price. At the announcement of “SOLD”, the highest bidder will have purchased the offered lot. This purchase is subject to all the terms and conditions set forth herein. The purchaser assumes full responsibility thereof and if requested will sign a confirmation of the purchase. The purchaser further agrees to pay the purchase price, buyer’s premium and any applicable taxes before any lot may be transferred. All items purchased by successful bidders must be paid for in full the day of sale. All items purchased by absentee bidders must be paid for in full immediately upon notification.
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