A Cased Pair of Flintlock Duelling Pistols by Wogdon & Barton.15” overall, 10” slightly swamped octagonal twist 28 bore barrels signed 'Wogdon & Barton, London' in script on the flats, struck with view mark beneath the breeches & the barrelsmith's mark 'RW', gold lined vents, border engraved tangs incorporating the back sights & decorated with scrolls & flowers & a band of foliage behind the breeches. Stepped bevelled locks signed ‘Wogdon and Barton’ in three lines, beneath the pans, fitted with bevelled swan necked cocks, spoon shaped pans, narrow bolt safety catches. Highly figured walnut full stocks, flat sided butts with chequering, iron mounts comprising butt cap, border engraved trigger guards decorated with a Union flag on foliage with pineapple finials. A pair of ramrod pipes, each with its original ramrod; one with Wogdon type iron powder measure &worm, the other with horn tip. In their original fitted, green baize lined, mahogany caddy top Chippendale case, the lid with inset carrying handle, complete with original accessories including black leather bottle shaped powder flask, bullet mould, loading rod, turnscrew & bone pan brush.
Circa 1795
Pistols in good condition, some original finish remaining. Nice examples of Wogdon’s mid quality pistols with the extra chequering and gold touch hole.
Robert Wogdon was apprenticed to Edward Newton of Grantham, Lincolnshire in 1748. He is recorded as 'Gunmaker, at Mr. Maw's Haberdasher, Cockspur St., Charing Cross' in 1764. He carried on his business in Haymarket from 1774 until his retirement in 1802. From 1795 he was in partnership with John Barton who carried on the business following Wogdon's retirement.
John Barton Gunmaker (formerly Wogdon & Barton) 14 Haymarket, 1803-16; 5 St. James’s St., Haymarket, 1816-19. Howard L. Blackmore (1986) Gunmakers Of London, 1350-1850
Pistols illustrated in John O'Sullivan & De Witt Bailey, ‘Robert Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmakers 1764-1819’, 2019, page 182
From The Peter Frazer Collection.