A Rare Set of Cased Flintlock Carriage Pistols by Ryan & Watson, comprising of 3 pistols: a flintlock pistol with spring bayonet, 16” overall, 10” octagonal 18 bore barrel engraved ‘London’ on top flat, with Tower Private proofs. Sprung 8” bayonet on barrel top. Flat bevelled bolted stepped lock plate engraved ‘Ryan & Watson’, swan neck cock engraved with foliage. Semi waterproof pan, roller on frizzen spring. Walnut full stock, engraved iron trigger guard with pineapple, two ramrod pipes, horn tipped rammer with worm. And a pair of Flintlock Pocket Pistols, 6 ½” overall, 1 ¾” round turn off 45 bore barrels with Birmingham pre 1815 proofs and ‘R&W’ barrelsmith’s stamp at the breech, numbered 0&1. Engraved action signed ‘Ryan & Watson’ on left in an oval and inscribed 'London' on the right. Folding trigger, sliding thumb piece safety catch, throat hole cock, slab sided walnut butt with vacant silver escutcheon. Stacked one on the other, in their original mahogany case with three way powder flask, later turn screw and matching bullet mounds stamped 18 & 45 respectively, with a quantity of ball in both sizes.
Circa 1810.
A rare set, the larger pistol in very good condition with nearly all original finish, the pocket pistols have seen more use and have some original finish remaining.
Ryan & Watson 27 Whitall Street Birmingham 1777-1818 originally Benjamin Watson 1717-1777, all marked their guns ‘London’