D. A. Viens Pistol

[LT Joe]

I just recently acquired a truly exceptional Flintlock pistol at auction. There is a sterling silver inlay on top of the barrel that is engraved "D.A. Viens". The engraved lock, which looks custom made is engraved with the initials "DAV" below the pan.
Does anyone know who D. A. Viens was and have any information on him? I'm thinking he may have been an earlier flintlock gunmaker from maybe the 70's?? Thanks!

 

[LT Joe]

In looking again at the engraving it may be "Viems" rather than "Viens".

 

[hawkeye2]

Don Viens was retired a Navy Chief and a gunmaker. He passed away quite a number of years ago and lived in Winchester, VA. He was an original member of Daniel Morgan's Riflemen and attended reenactments and rendezvous as a member including going from Winchester to Quebec in 75. He claimed that the rifle shown in the early Dixie catalogs being held by Turner and another was built by him and got credited to another. He had built his first rifles back in the 50s. Originally from Mass. and was friends with Leonard Day which is where I met Leonard. He was active building rifles and a few pistols from his retirement (70s) up into the 90s or perhaps later and was quite well known. I have no knowledge of how many guns he built but I do know he wouldn't build for someone he didn't like. I doubt the lock was custom made but he would modify a lock (including Dixie) to suite his needs. All the work including engraving was his.

Some of you old timers who have a trophy from our annual Apple Blossom Rifle Frolic should know that Don designed and carved the masters and made the molds for the parts of the trophies we made.

We would love to see photos of the pistol and hear the story of how you got it and where you are from. Its quite possible I have held that pistol.

 

[rickystl]

Joe: Show us the pistol. LOL

Rick

 

[LT Joe]

Don Viens was retired a Navy Chief and a gunmaker. He passed away quite a number of years ago and lived in Winchester, VA. He was an original member of Daniel Morgan's Riflemen and attended reenactments and rendezvous as a member including going from Winchester to Quebec in 75. He claimed that the rifle shown in the early Dixie catalogs being held by Turner and another was built by him and got credited to another. He had built his first rifles back in the 50s. Originally from Mass. and was friends with Leonard Day which is where I met Leonard. He was active building rifles and a few pistols from his retirement (70s) up into the 90s or perhaps later and was quite well known. I have no knowledge of how many guns he built but I do know he wouldn't build for someone he didn't like. I doubt the lock was custom made but he would modify a lock (including Dixie) to suite his needs. All the work including engraving was his.

Some of you old timers who have a trophy from our annual Apple Blossom Rifle Frolic should know that Don designed and carved the masters and made the molds for the parts of the trophies we made.

We would love to see photos of the pistol and hear the story of how you got it and where you are from. Its quite possible I have held that pistol.

Hawkeye,
Thanks so much for your reply with all the info on D. A Viens!!!!
I have attached about 13 pictures I took yesterday of the pistol to try and capture all the really cool features. It's almost like this was a "Tour de Force" in showing what you can do when you build a pistol : extensive and excellent very fine engraving, more wood carving on a pistol than I have ever seen, silver wire inlay, engraved escutcheon plate, wedges instead of pins to hold in the barrel, etc. The barrel is 10 inches long and is octagon to round with two "wedding bands". He engraved his name on a sterling silver plate which is inlet into the top flat of the barrel. The very fine engraving on the rear flats of the barrel near the tang and around the front site are so finely done that you don't notice them at first. When I expanded some of those pictures I noticed "No. 33" is engraved there so this must have been the 33rd gun he had made.

It would really be interesting if you recognize this pistol or had actually held it back then!

I got this pistol at a Rock Island Auction last week so I don't know who the previous owner was. I live in Huntsville, AL and have a nice collection of contemporary flintlocks. This pistol is so nice that I plan on displaying it at my tables at the Contemporary Longrifle Association (CLA) Show this August.
Thanks again for your info on D. A. Viens!! (If the pictures don't display well you can PM me and I'll send them to your e-mail)

 

[rickystl]

WOW !!! Joe, that pistol is a beauty. I can see why you went after it. It has a lot of carving and decoration. BUT, it's done in such good taste. Just wonderful. Now you have another flintlock in your collection too nice to shoot. LOL
Again, my congratulations. An extra fine pistol for sure.

Rick

 

[hawkeye2]

Thanks for the photos. Don described his job in the Navy as a cumshaw artist so I suspect he had a pretty cushy time in the service. Any time someone need a "gift" for a high ranking officer he was the one they came to. He was quite active in Morgan's Riflemen and his contributions helped the group maintain high standards of authenticity. He also provided help and encouragement for some of the members who went on to build some fine rifles. His personal rifle which he brought to the group with him had been built years before and was .40 caliber. Though it wasn't legal in Virginia he harvested several whitetails with it.

I don't remember that pistol but it's been almost 50 years since I met him and I saw a lot of impressive work by him. Don had some high class clientele and that pistol was obviously built for one. If anyone could find the name of the person who consigned it to the auction I might recognize it. Unfortunately most of us lacked the deep pockets needed for his work and most of his guns are out there somewhere with little known about the builder. The lack of an external bridle and the frizzen screw coming through from the back side makes me wonder where he got the lock or possibly what he modified it from.

Don's wife Peg and one of his daughters were members of the Riflemen in the early days and she always had a large pot of pease porridge over the fire for us. Thanks for rekindling memories of some great days. I drank a lot of brewskies round the campfire with Don.

 

[dracer]

that is about as nice pistol there is

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

Beautiful workmanship!