thumb|DERINGER/PHILADELA inscription
Henry Deringer (October 26, 1786 – February 28, 1868) was an American gunsmith. He is best known for inventing and giving his name to the deringer pistol.
Early life
Deringer was born in Easton, Pennsylvania, on October 26, 1786, to colonial gunsmith Henry Deringer Sr. (1756–1833) and Catherine McQuety (1759–1829). The family moved to Philadelphia, where his father continued work on the Kentucky rifle, both an ornate sporting model and a basic version for the U.S. Army.
Work
Deringer's early efforts were for military contracts, producing military pistols, muskets and rifles. and the Model 1817 Common Rifle. He produced trade rifles, designated for the Native American tribes, to fulfill the U.S. treaty obligations.
There was widespread copying of his designs, including outright counterfeiting with his proofmarks being copied. One company even hired a tailor called "John" Deringer so that it could put the Deringer name on its firearms. Some of Deringer's workmen also left the company to set up their own duplicates, while others copied his pistols as closely as possible with some even putting on its Deringer name and trademark. Deringer fought these infringements for most of his business life. The Deringer v. Plate ruling, in which the California Supreme Court ruled in the company's favor, became a landmark in trademark law.