Antonio Rincón working on one of his fine miniatures.
Below you can view a chronology of significant dates, honors, published articles, shows, and accomplishments throughout Mr. Rincón’s career.
1938:
Antonio Rincón was born on July 16th in the city of Tunja, department of Boyaca, Colombia.
1956:
Antonio received his secondary education qualifications, and began working with BVD, a tailoring company. This required travel all over Colombia, and Antonio had to postpone his desire to study architecture.
1962:
After working with BVD for about 7 years, Antonio obtained his qualification in marketing from the School of Sales and Management, Diriventas, and immediately began importing industrial machinery from Europe.
1966:
Antonio qualifies in design and metallurgy with Harold Mcmillan of New Orleans, US.
1968:
Antonio set up his own workshop and began to work professionally as a miniature arms manufacturer.
1980:
A Colombian antique weapons collector and businessman, Oscar Castro Gallegos, acquired four of Mr. Rincón’s replicas. Mr. Gallego acquired an English blunderbuss, a Napoleonic pistol, a rifle, and an Enfield pistol.
1984:
Mr. Rincón begins to receive international recognition, and establishes a reputation as a leading miniature gunsmith. Antonio presented several replica firearms by Nicolás Noël Boutet to Stephen V. Grancsay, the curator of antique weapons for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. In this same year, Mr. Grancsay wrote about the merits of Antonio’s work in the magazine, Man at Arms.
1991:
The English magazine, Guns Review published a commentary on Rincón’s amazing pieces.
Antonio’s miniature four-barreled flintlock pocket pistol. The total length is 3.3”, including the steel barrels which are only .79” long.
A collection of Antonio’s miniature Boutet carbines and dueling pistols, all extravagantly decorated.
1992:
The October edition of the American magazine, Shooting The Breeze published a photo of a case of Rincón’s Napoleonic dueling pistols and two blunderbusses—one percussion and the other a flintlock with folding bayonet.
1993:
The June edition of Guns Review published a photo of Antonio’s English back action percussion shotgun, in the style of Joseph Harkom. The July edition of Shooting The Breeze included a note about a Harkom design double-barreled percussion lock shotgun.
1994:
A commentary about a case of Rincón’s Napoleonic dueling pistols is published in the October edition of Shooting the Breeze.
1995:
In July, Shooting the Breeze dedicated the cover to Antonio Rincón’s work, with a photograph of a case of dueling pistols. An extensive article featuring his medieval weapons appeared in the same edition.
Antonio traveled to Houston, Texas, and exhibited his work at the HGCA, Gun and Antique Collectors Show, and 3rd Annual Miniature Arms Show.
The February edition of Guns Review dedicated two full-color pages to Antonio’s work. That included photos of four English weapons: a Segallas pistol, a pocket boxlock pistol, and a Rigby tower system weapon. Read the article here.
Antonio exhibited his weapons with great success at the MESSE Centrum in Nuremberg, Germany. His pieces were acquired by several antique dealers at the event.
Mr. Rincón received an invitation from the Miniature Arms Society to participate in an exhibition in Tokyo, Japan. He presented several cases of dueling pistols, earning the highest praise.
The high profile Japanese weapons magazine, Gun published a photograph of two cases of dueling pistols by Antonio. These pistols were replicas of those made by the gunsmith Boutet for Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. For those interested, view the article here (Japanese text only).
A miniature flintlock blunderbuss with bayonet in a fitted, velvet lined case.
A close-up of a Boutet designed rifle that Antonio built in honor of his friend, Ralph Koebbeman. Miniature Arms wrote an article about the miniature rifle.
1996:
Antonio Rincón visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where he presented his work to the curator, Stuart W. Pyhrr. Mr. Pyhrr invited Antonio to present his work to the Arms and Armor Club. The curator supported that with a conference in which he extolled the South American gunsmith’s work.
Antonio then exhibited his work in Houston, Texas at the HGCA Gun and Antique Collectors Show. He also presented work at the 4th annual Miniature Arms Show.
1997:
Ralph Koebbeman, curator of the Miniature World Museum, in St. Louis, Missouri acquired a case of dueling pistols with the imperial eagle by Antonio Rincón. These were replicas of those manufactured by Nicolás Noël Boutet.
1998:
The April edition of Shooting The Breeze featured one of Mr. Rincón’s Napoleonic carbines on the cover. The October edition also dedicated a page to eleven of Antonio’s weapons.
Antonio traveled to New York to visit the famous company of gunsmiths, Holland and Holland.
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mr. Rincón participated in the important exhibition of the National Rifle Association of America’s Annual Meetings and Exhibits. There he sold several pieces to distinguished private collectors.
A fine miniature matchlock pistol made by Antonio Rincón.
A percussion system blunderbuss with accessories.
1999:
The January edition of Shooting The Breeze published a photograph of a Napoleonic carbine by Rincón on the cover.
Ralph Koebbeman buys another one of Rincón’s miniatures: a double-barrelled English flintlock shotgun.
Antonio Rincón was invited to participate in the Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association Exhibition. He also attended the Fourth National Rifle Association National Gun Show & Conference, and the 29th Annual K.C. National Summer Arms Show in Kansas, Missouri.
The book, The Art of Miniature Firearms, by the Miniature Arms Society of America, included a comprehensive sample of Antonio’s work. The book brought together the principal miniature arms manufacturers of the world.
Antonio Rincón received the Outstanding Related Arms Exhibit prize, awarded by the National Rifle Association of America, for his superb miniatures presented at the National Gun Show & Conference in Kansas, Missouri.
The Colombian, Guillermo Londoño, a distinguished businessman and arms collector, acquired some of Antonio’s work. Mr. Londoño obtained a case of Napoleonic dueling pistols and two double-barrelled English shotguns—one a flintlock and the other a percussion system.
The April edition of Miniature Arms, directed by Ralph Koebbeman, dedicated two pages to the conference given at the Metropolitan Museum of Art about Rincón’s work. The July edition of the same magazine carried a note about an English Manton-design shotgun. In the October edition, an article was published highlighting the precision craftsmanship of a case of dueling pistols which were mandatory for generals and marshals of the Napoleonic army. These were all, of course, produced by Antonio.
Antonio participated in the National Rifle Association of America’s Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Denver, Colorado.
Antonio has also made a number of miniature cannons, like this 18th century bombard.
A miniature rear elevation bombard.
2000:
Ralph Koebbeman buys, for the Miniature World Museum, a case of Antonio’s Napoleonic weapons consisting of a carbine and a pair of dueling weapons.
Mr. Rincón is awarded the prize for “Best Contemporary Made Antique” for his wonderful display at the 8th Annual Miniature Arms Show in Houston, Texas.
The July edition of Miniature Arms published an article about two of Rincón’s unusual pocket pistols.
2001:
Mr. Rincón participated in the 9th Annual Miniature Arms Show in Houston, Texas, where he sold several pieces.
Miniature Arms magazine published the following articles: in the winter edition there is a commentary about two of Rincón’s combination weapons—a wheel lock and a flintlock. In the summer edition they published a review of the Napoleonic riding carbine with two pistols, which won the Outstanding Related Arms Exhibit prize.
The collector Kennith Whichard, of North Carolina, bought an English double-barrelled shotgun and case of flintlock dueling pistols by Antonio.
2002:
Mr. Rincón was invited to participate in the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Reno, Nevada.
Dr. Brad Maxfield, of Wisconsin, acquired a combination weapon from Antonio, which included an axe, pick and flintlock gun.
Mr. Rincón exhibited his work at the 10th Annual Miniature Arms Show in Houston, Texas.
The winter edition of Miniature Arms included a commentary about Antonio Rincón’s replica of a historic Napoleonic shotgun.
Antonio has also built some miniature siege weapons, like this detailed trebuchet.
Antonio’s miniature catapult.
2003:
Antonio traveled to Orlando, Florida to exhibit his work at the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meetings & Exhibits, an event held in honor of Charlton Heston.
Dr. Joseph A. Murphy, a veteran of the US Marine Corps, businessman, banker, renaissance art collector, and owner of the finest and most valuable collection of weapons from the Colt company (among other arms), became acquainted with Antonio’s work. Dr. Murphy bought a case with a Napoleonic shotgun, and ordered five replicas of weapons by Nicolás Boutet from the year 1803. This order represented a very proud moment for Antonio Rincón, as it meant that his work was a part of one of the most important collections in the world.
In April, the collector Kennith Whichard acquired from Antonio a case of miniature dueling pistols—replicas of the work of Nicolás Boutet.
The October edition of the magazine Action Armes & Tir, of Paris, published an article with photographs about Antonio’s replicas of the work of Boutet—three Napoleonic carbines and a case of dueling pistols.
2004:
After 42 years of business, Antonio Rincón was still working in the importation of industrial machinery. His activities alternated between the manufacture of miniature weapons and the representation of several industrial machinery companies.
2005:
Antonio exhibited his work at the NRA Annual meetings and Exhibits in Houston, Texas.
Antonio received the Silver Medal from the Gun Collectors Committee of the National Rifle Association of America.
Mr. Rincón exhibited a small sample of miniature weapons at Club el Nogal, and also released his book, Great Arms in Miniature, to the public.
The daily, El Tiempo published an article about the exposition and life of Mr. Rincón.
An article in Miniature Arms announced the release of Antonio’s latest book, Great Arms in Miniature.
A pair of miniature flintlock pistols with a US dime for scale reference.
The bottom side of the grips for two other pistols are cast with the figure of a lion.
2006:
Antonio exhibited work in Milwaukee (Freedom’s 2nd Army) at the 135th NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits.
Mr. Rincón was nominated by Dr. Joseph A. Murphy, PhD., Dr. Martha J. Murphy, PhD., a member of the committee of the National Rifle Association, and Bruce Stern, a member of the committee of the NRA, to receive the award of the silver medal for the 2007 NRA Show held in St. Louis, Missouri.
Antonio’s work was featured in an article for the Summer 2006 edition of The Miniature Arms Journal. Read the article, which is split into page one, and page two.
2008:
The October edition of Miniature Arms Newsletter published an article featuring a set of dueling pistols by Antonio Rincón.
2009:
An article in the April edition of the Miniature Arms Newsletter featured a Rigby pistol made by Antonio.
2012:
An article in the Stréleká Revue featured an overview of Antonio Rincón’s extensive work in miniature arms.
We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Mr. Rincón and his marvelous miniature firearms!