“Great Arms in Miniature” — the Book About the Art of Tiny Weaponry by Antonio Rincón
The world of gun miniatures often surprises newcomers—whether from a unique gift, a magazine article, or an antique store visit. If you’re captivated by the beauty of real tiny weapons, that interest can be hard to shake. However, beginners often struggle to navigate the market without foundational knowledge. In this article, we’ll review a must-have book for any fan of miniature guns.
A Firearm Miniaturist Antonio Rincón Granados
Antonio Rincón Granados is a modern miniaturist who lives in Bogota, Columbia (South America). Now a member of the Miniature Arms Society, he has written and published a book, “Great Arms in Miniature.” If you are looking for the best miniature guns for sale, you must read it because it illustrates some of the most prominent works in this sphere.
Perhaps you will not be able to buy these products, but first, you will get a comprehensive view of all the directions of this occupation. Second, there will be standards before your eyes. You will see the models, which you can keep in mind when making purchases.
This is a fantastic book about the work he has done in the forty-two years he has devoted to making miniature arms. The entire book is written in two columns, Spanish and English. Photographs, all in color, are used lavishly, with almost every other page having one or more on it. They are all devoted to pieces that Antonio has made.
The book has over two hundred illustrations—the number of his works! He writes the book in the third person, so he never writes “I”; it is always “Antonio Rincon.”
Each pistol is 3.35” long with a steel barrel measuring 0.79”. The handles and velvet lined case are made from Zaire ebony.
A miniature flintlock four-barreled pocket pistol in its presentation case, all made by Mr. Rincón.
The Art and Legacy of Antonio’s Miniature Weaponry
The book is divided into six sections. The first tells the author’s story, including how he got started, about his mentors, how his interest grew, and the places where he has exhibited. In this part, some American Miniature Arms Society members are mentioned, including Kenneth Whitchard and Brad Maxwell, who are customers of Antonio’s work—he sells guns to them. Of course, he does a little self-promotion by including quotes from various sources.
The second section is labeled “Iron Weapons,” he talks about hand-held weapons such as lances, axes, halberds, partisans, mancatchers, maces, and flails. The book does not indicate that these pieces were the first ones Antonio made, but they worked up to more serious, more complex, and more beautiful pieces later on.
The book, however, has photographs of at least one of these models and detailed close-ups of most of them. You will probably be impressed by the spring-loaded mancatcher that would fast around an enemy’s arm or neck and render him hors de combat.
A miniature flintlock carbine of Griffen design, along with some of the accompanying shooting accessories.
And a miniature flintlock rifle with battle-axe and pick.
Siege Warfare and Artillery in Miniature
The third division presents miniature reproductions of siege weapons, each with a specific purpose. Catapults, ballistas, trebuchets, and assault towers were heavy-duty machines, often of significant size. They were designed to breach the walls of castles or cities, a crucial aspect of siege warfare.
The fourth section of the book discusses cannons of the early types. These are shown as a bombard, an Italian bombard, a bombard with palisade, a culverin, a German field piece, an 18th-century field piece, and an English field cannon, ending with a naval cannon of the 1950s.
The Evolution of Gunpowder Firearms
After these weapons come firearms, starting with matchlocks, wheel locks, flintlocks, dueling pistols, luxury weapons, and percussion guns. In between these items, Antonio gives fascinating little vignettes, such as a history of dueling, going back to its beginning in Roman times or before and its decline and end in the 1800s.
One of the little tidbits he relates is the story of the duel between «M. de Grandpre and M. Le Pique, suitors to Mademoiselle Tirevin of the Imperial Opera. Both were in love with the lady and decided to dispute their love from the heights. To carry out their eccentric plan, they had two balloons made. Each one with his respective second boarded his balloon, and when they reached a height of 800 feet and a distance of 65 yards, the order to fire was given. Each had agreed to only fire at the balloons, not at each other. Le Pique missed, and Grandpre hit the target. The loser’s balloon fell to the ground, killing its two occupants. Grandpre triumphantly reached the ground to find that the object of his infatuation, Mademoiselle Tirevin, had completely disappeared».
Despite this ridiculous duel, during the 17th century, in one ten years in France, 80000 men were killed in duels.
Honoring the Gunsmith Legends
Antonio also talks about his love affair with the work of master gunsmiths, such as John and Joseph Manton, Samuel Nock, Nicolas Boutet, Wogdon, and others.
The last part of the book deals with ornamentation, and this is the sphere where Rincon can leave the rest of the miniature makers in his dust. The outside of his guns is fantastic. Castings of the faces of ancient gods, stars, gravings, full-figure metal work, anything you can think of in gold, silver, brass, or what have you, are all grist for Antonio’s fertile imagination.
The 1/4 scale single-barreled flintlock hunting shotgun designed by Joseph Manton. It has a gooseneck hammer
and a total length of 11-3/4”, including the barrel which measures 8”.
Antonio also made an assortment of miniature accessories for the shotgun.
A fountain pen provides scale reference.
AGREE: A MAN WHO HAS CREATED THIS MIRACLE BY HAND CAN BE CHOSEN TO GUIDE YOU IN THE WORLD OF MINIATURE GUNS.
The only drawback to Rincon’s story is that he doesn’t produce many miniature guns for sale. While his work can be viewed at exhibitions, purchasing one requires direct contact with the artist. If he agrees to create a piece for you, be prepared to wait several years for your turn.
But! in W.Polah e-shop you have an exciting opportunity to acquire a stunning historical miniature weapon right now!
Golden Derringer (scale 1:6)
The miniature 1 mm caliber gold Derringer is a handcrafted model with ivory grips, made of 14 karat gold, white and rose.
It is a miniature version of the “Derringer” pistol. It is the author’s design: today any other workshop doesn’t produce working models in this size.
About the Author
My name is Olha Polah, and I have been working in miniature weapons production since 2015. I started the mini firearms brand and have been running the brand’s Instagram page since 2016. The brand’s miniatures are popular worldwide, with fans in 25+ countries. I became the sole owner of the brand in 2018 and created a comprehensive line of miniatures. More than 60 models of miniature weapons from various historical periods have been created. In November 2023, I was interviewed by Robert Dunn for the GunTech magazine, where I talked about the hardships I had to endure in my business. I also run a newsletter for the brand’s customers, which has evolved into a full-fledged magazine with in-depth articles published on the wpolah.com.
My mission is to make people’s lives more joyful by sharing interesting facts about miniature weapons and inspiring everyone to express themselves.