A Good Flintlock Duelling Pistol by Alex Wilson.
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15 ¼” overall, 28 bore 10” twist barrel of octagonal form, ‘Wilson Patent London’ platinum poincon & platinum line at breech. Engraved on top flat ‘Alex r Wilson Sherrad Str t London’. Adjustable fore sight, engraved tang incorporating V shaped rear sight, platinum touch hole. Numbered ‘4089’ on underside of barrel with London Proofs. Flat bolted lockplate with hound tooth border engraving & starburst, signed ‘Alex Wilson’. Detented lock, fully waterproof pan, swan necked cock & roller on frizzen. Walnut half stock with horn fore-end, chequered butt & vacant silver escutcheon. Engraved iron butt cap & engraved trigger guard with pineapple finial. Horn tipped ramrod with capped worm.
Circa 1815
In good condition, barrel with some original finish, by a very good London maker.
Alexander Wilson is recorded as having worked for both John and Joseph Manton. He set up in business at 14 Tichborne St,. 1805-11; 3 Sherrad St., Golden Sq., 1811-25; 1 Vigo Lane, Piccadilly, 1826-9.
Granted Eng. Pat. No. 2865 (improved breeches, locks), 1805. 1 Vigo Lane was address of Wilson’s Gun & Pistol Warehouse up to 1825, when stock taken over by Joseph Lang. In June 1810 Joseph Manton brought an action against him for making double barrelled guns with elevated ribs which were protected by Manton's Patent No. 2966 of 1806.
See W. Keith Neal & D.H.L. Back, ‘The Manton Supplement’, 1978, pp.126-130 and p.174