A Very Fine & Rare Cased Pair of Flintlock Duelling Pistols by Barton.
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15 5/8” overall, 10” slightly swamped octagonal twist 28 bore barrels signed 'J. Barton, London' in script on the flats, struck with view mark beneath the breeches, the barrelsmith's mark 'IB', two pellets including the numeral '1' on one barrel, gold lined vents, border engraved case hardened tangs incorporating the back sights & decorated with scrolls & flowers & a band of foliage behind the breeches. Stepped bevelled locks signed ‘Barton’, engraved with foliage on the tails, signed beneath the pans and with starbursts above, fitted with engraved bevelled cocks, gold lined semi-rainproof gull wing pans, bolt safety catches & steel springs with rollers. Highly figured walnut full stocks, flat-sided butts cut with a diamond shaped trellis design enclosing minute flowerheads, blued iron mounts comprising border engraved trigger guards decorated with a central bouquet & 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 mahogany case, the lid with circular escutcheon incorporating a semi-circular carrying handle, the interior lined in green baize. The lid has a very rare John Barton trade label for 14 Haymarket, it is complete with original accessories including copper three-way flask, bullet mould, loading rod, glass oil bottle, turnscrew & mainspring clamp.
Circa 1805
Pistols in very good condition, crisp engraving; case and accessories also in very good condition.
BARTON John 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 Robert Wogdon by John O’Sullivan & De Witt Bailey page 191
Provenance Christie's, South Kensington 20th November 1996, lot 332 B. G. S. Coles Collection