RARE WOGDON POCKET PISTOL
A RARE 48 BORE FLINTLOCK BOX-LOCK POCKET PISTOL CIRCA 1785-90 BY WOGDON, LONDON, DOCUMENTED IN O'SULLIVAN & BAILEY, PAGE 205, CAT.NO. PP9
Plain 3.5” round barrel struck with London Proofs, two short ramrod pipes underneath barrel with horn tipped ramrod. Border engraved action signed WOGDON in capitals within an oval against a martial trophy and foliage on one side and engraved 'LONDON' within an oval against rocaille and foliage on the other. Plain sliding top safety-catch locking the ring-neck cock and frizzen/hammer when activated. Plain trigger guard with recurved trigger. Figured flat-sided walnut butt. Overall length 6.9”.
As mentioned in O’Sullivan & Bailey’s history of Wogdon, muzzle loading box-lock pistols by Wogdon are much scarcer than ones with turn off barrels and this particular pistol is described as “an example of Wogdon’s highest quality pocket pistols, and is probably the latest in date”. See Robert Wogdon, London Gunmakers 1764-1819 by John O'Sullivan & De Witt Bailey, p. 205, Cat. No. PP 9.
Please note that the Wogdon book mentions that this pistol is fitted with “sliding trigger-guard safety catch locking the hammer” which is an understandable mistake. The trigger guard is fixed and does not slide. Neither does the sliding top safety catch have the normal cage around the cock which has the pin attached and intercepts the hammer when slid forward. This is the only pocket pistol we have encountered with the locking pin activated by the top sliding safety connected to a hidden mechanism activating the locking pin which is contained in a small hump/pan guard in front of the cock. Ingenious.
Price: £1,875.00
Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing this item - quoting reference: SKU 150D
The price includes UK mainland delivery. No licence is required to possess this item in the UK if owned as a curio as part of a collection or display.
LONG BARREL WOGDON PISTOL
28 BORE LONG BARREL FLINTLOCK DUELLING PISTOL BY WOGDON OF LONDON circa 1770-80
This pistol by the famous gunmaker Robert Wogdon has a long 10.9" octagonal swamped barrel with his typical early form of wide tapering short butt. The rebrowned 28 bore barrel is signed on the top flat ‘Wogdon LONDON’ with silver front sight and fixed rear sight, London proofs. Tang pattern with foliate engraving of c.1778-80 pattern. Roundel engraved reinforcing plate opposite gold touch hole. Stepped bevel edged lockplate with sliding safety and typical Wogdon Swan neck flintcock and frizzen. Lock signature of c.1775 pattern. Walnut full stock with slab sided butt. Ramrod with exposed steel worm. Engraved steel mounts including triggerguard with acorn finial, ramrod pipes and buttcap. Vacant silver escutcheon. Overall length 16.5". A rare but original variation of a Wogdon pistol.
See ‘Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmakers 1764-1819’ by John O’Sullivan & De Witt Bailey. Pages 92,104,105,126 in particular for detail.
Price: £2,950.00
Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing this item - quoting reference: SKU 148D
The price includes UK mainland delivery. No licence is required to possess this item in the UK if owned as a curio as part of a collection or display.
MILITARY DETACHED FLINTLOCK MECHANISMS
EXCELLENT DETACHED REGULATION GEORGIAN AND WILLIAM IV MILITARY FLINTLOCK MECHANISMS
An excellent collection of regulation military Georgian and William IV detached flintlocks. All are in excellent working condition, some with pans cleaned, nice patina overall. See below for brief description - all priced at £295 each.
Clockwise from top left:
Crown over WR (1830-1837), marked TOWER to tail, crowned arrow inspectors mark, stepped bolted lock, Inspectors mark to inside of lock of crown over 7. Maximum depth 24mm, length 130mm. SOLD
Crown over WR (1830-1837), crowned arrow inspectors mark. Inspectors mark to inside of lock of crown over 6 plus makers marks. Maximum depth 24mm, length 136mm. SOLD
Crown over GR with crown inspectors mark, marked TOWER to tail. Maximum depth 24mm, length 135mm. £295.00. SKU: 146C
Crown over GR with crowned arrow inspectors mark, marked TOWER to tail. Inspector mark of crown over 3 plus makers mark of ST to inside of lock. Maximum depth 24mm, length 137mm. SOLD
Crown over GR with crowned arrow inspectors mark, marked TOWER to tail. Makers mark of IN plus other marks to inside of lock which has previously been stripped and cleaned. Maximum depth 27mm, length 156mm. £295.00. SKU :146E
Crown over GR with crowned arrow inspectors mark, marked TOWER to tail. Makers mark of WH and inspectors mark of crown over 1 to inside of lock. Maximum depth 23mm, length 136mm. SOLD
Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing any of the above.
RARE MORTIMER MAIL COACH BARREL
A RARE MAIL COACH FLINTLOCK PISTOL BRASS BARREL NUMBER 248 BY H.W. MORTIMER CIRCA 1790-1800
A rare and all original 20 bore brass Mail Coach pistol barrel by H W MORTIMER complete with original fitted combined iron tang and breach plug. Swamped brass barrel, 9.15" length with clear London Proofs, top flat signed and numbered, H. W. MORTIMER GUN MAKERS TO HIS MAJESTY. 248. Muzzle engraved FOR HIS MAJESTY’S MAIL COACHES (some wear). Original barrel lugs under barrel for barrel wedges. Touch hole area untouched indicating this is from an original flintlock pistol.
The most valuable and important part of any Mail Coach pistol is the barrel. This original barrel is the only surviving part from a pistol that was probably one of a pair or brace of Mortimer contract pistols.
For further information see Frederick Wilkinson (2002) Those Entrusted With Arms. Greenhill Books, London, pages 120-121:-
The early examples were supplied by the gunmaker Henry Walklate Mortimer of the Borough, South London who is also recorded as supplying pistols for the horse post in the accounts of December 2 1803 (PO Post 6/9). The earliest payment to Mortimer for pistols appears in January 1791, covering the period from April 1790, for his name appears in the account; Mr. Henry Mortimer for firearms for the mail guards from 24 April 1790-5 January 1791 131-10-0 (PO Post 9/14). His name and similar payments appear at fairly regular intervals and there was a steady supply of firearms over the years. The standard armament for the guard was a blunderbuss and a pair of holster pistols. All were simple, solid construction with brass barrels, presumably on the assumption that their exposure to the weather would rust the more conventional iron barrels..
Also see Appendix 4 (pages 254 - 258) which is of particular interest for recorded surviving pistols. This barrel number 248 is previously unrecorded.
For further reference also see; Howard L. Blackmore (1986) Gunmakers Of London, 1350-1850. George Shumway Publisher.
Harvey Walklate MORTIMER Son of Samuel Mortimer, born 1753. Apprenticed to father, 1772; free of Farriers Co., 1782; elected Assistant, 1807. Gunmaker, at Mr Greens ironmonger, 6 Kings Street, Lincolns Inn Fields, 1779; 89 Fleet Street, 1782-99. Appointed Gunmaker to George III, 1783. Contractor to East India Co., 1796-1806. Specialised in repeating pistols and gold mounted guns for the Eastern market. Advertised For the Inspection of the Curious, just finished, Three pair of Elegant Pistols, mounted in solid gold value 547 intended as a present to a foreign Prince, 1784 (Morning Herald, 20 August). Registered mark as small worker at Goldsmiths Hall, 1798. Made gold-mounted firearms set with diamonds for the U.S. Government as present for Bey of Tunis, 1801-2. Member of Law Association Volunteers, provided their muskets, 1803. His own musket in Inns of Court Museum, London. Became H. W. Mortimer, Son & T. Mortimer. Retired, 1811. Died 1819.
Price: £795.00 including UK mainland delivery
Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing this item - quoting reference: SKU 144D
TATHAM & EGG FLINTLOCK DUELLING PISTOL
A SAW HANDLED FLINTLOCK DUELLING PISTOL BY TATHAM & EGG OF LONDON, CIRCA 1805
A Rare Saw Handled Flintlock Duelling Pistol by Tatham & Egg of London. 28 bore, 9" octagonal browned damascus barrel (some pitting) with blade fore sight, Gold filled TATHAM & EGG Poincon plus gold line to breech and gold touch hole. Horn tipped ramrod with steel worm end. Finely engraved extended tang incorporating notched ‘V’ rear sight. Flat border engraved lockplate with cloudburst behind pan. Sliding safety. Semi rainproof pan with border engraved roller frizzen. Engraved French style flintcock resting on flashguard which is deliberately flush with lock as face is engraved. Working action. Square shaped spurred triggerguard with fine border and stand of arms engraving. Adjustable set trigger. Walnut half stock with chequered wrist and flat bottom butt with engraved silver band, the flat incorporating finely engraved steel plate ’Tatham & Egg Improvement 229’ and engraved retaining screw. Silver barrel bolt escutcheons. Vacant silver escutcheon between triggerguard and ramrod pipe which again is finely engraved. 15.25" overall. Some handling marks around butt area, pitting to breech, re-browned barrel.
Henry Tatham and Joseph Egg were Gunmakers to George III and are recorded in partnership at 37 Charing Cross, London from 1801-1814.
Price: £2,750.00
Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing this item - quoting reference: SKU 143D
The price includes UK mainland delivery. No licence is required to possess this item in the UK if owned as a curio as part of a collection or display.
