#286 Sieber of Nashville, Tennessee is virtually unknown among my gun
collector friends and dealers until this gun turned up in Norman
Flayderman’s catalog in 1970. It is definitely Nashville made with the
characteristics of those guns in the full octagon barrel, the escutcheon
plate under the forearm holding the screw to attach the barrel, and the
lack of engraving. The buttcap, sideplate, nameplate on the wrist, and
escutcheons are of German silver. The trigger guard, believe it or not,
is of brass and appears to be original. The barrel is a little different
in that the bottom half is rounded with the top half octagon. To say
this another way, there are three octagon flats at the top of the barrel
with the other part underneath rounded. There is a gold blow-out plug on
the breechplug. Two bands at the breech are of gold and silver and one
silver band at the muzzle. It is a shame, but someone in the past has
sand-papered the barrel which is in extra fine condition. They saw the
old brown color and thought they were removing rust when actually the
gun had original browning on the barrel and some smart fellow removed
all of it. I would call this a high quality but plain derringer. Its
caliber is .440.
The only markings are on the top barrel flat as follows:
E. R. Sieber,
Nashville, Tenn.