A Fine Scottish Steel & Silver Scroll Butt Belt Flintlock Pistol by Thomas Murdoch of Doune. 11 ½” overall, 6 ¾” fluted three stage barrel, engraved with Celtic scrolls & acanthus, reeded at the breech with octagonal swamped muzzle. Steel stock of traditional form engraved overall with Celtic scrolls, acanthus bands & silver inlays along the spine of the butt. The scroll engraved lock signed ‘T. Murdoch’. Swan neck cock, rounded steel, top jaw and pan, with horizontal sear. Three silver bands underneath, engraved overall with scrolling Celtic patterns, silver ball trigger & pricker engraved with rose heads. Ramrod with pierced baluster, silver escutcheons on both sides. Engraved belt hook with pierced lyre finial.
Circa 1770
ln very good unrubbed condition, with very good engraving.
Thomas Murdoch (1735-1791) was a prolific maker of high quality pistols, the design of the later lobe butt in Scottish pistols, around 1750, is accredited to him. He emigrated from the Perthshire gunmaking village of Doune following the English proscription on the Highlanders’ ownership of firearms because of the failed Jacobite rising, in about 1774, and set up his pistol making business in Walkside, Leith. From 1780 to 1790 his name appears in the directories of Edinburgh as well as those of Leith. He died in poverty 1791 and was succeed by his son William who was first recorded working in 1793 at Leith Walk.
See Charles E Whitelaw, ‘Scottish Arms Makers’, page 43 and Martin Kelvin ‘The Scottish Pistol’ page 120