Kolb Baby Hammerless
by Kevin Callahan
Title
Kolb Baby Hammerless
Artist
Kevin Callahan
Medium
Painting - Watercolor
Description
This Kolb Baby Hammerless in .22 short was another of the class of tiny hideaway pistols that most likely saw more time resting in it’s perch than ever saw real action. This diminutive gun was (for obvious reasons) a favorite among women. Often labeled "Ladies Guns" they were perfect for a purse, garter, or even slipped into an ample bosom. However they were also popular among gentlemen and a certain class of others as they fit nicely into a vest, coat, or pants pocket. The trigger on these guns folded up so they would not snag on clothing. One merely pulled the trigger down and then just squeeze it to fire. It was in fact very safe to carry.
The .22 short is a very underpowered round and as such is a close-in cartridge. But at point blank range, if shot in the face, death would be a very likely possibility. The history of the Kolb is pretty murky. The first patent date is 1896, with the first guns manufactured in 1898. The Kolb pictured here is an early model of which there were 50,000 produced between 1898 and 1910. All told there were eleven different models and transitions with various quantities of each. Perhaps as many as 100,000 were made before production ceased in the early 1900s.
Most of these pistols were made and sold with black hard rubber grips. As you can see from my illustration this specimen has pearl handles, which could be added when one ordered. As Patton was quoted when asked if his pistol handles were pearl, "Only a New Orleans pimp," Patton snarled, "would carry a pearl-handled gun."
Uploaded
December 30th, 2013
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