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. One pistol with Irish Registration mark ‘DN 1125’. Stepped bevelled locks signed ‘Wogdon and Barton’ in three lines, beneath the gull wing pans, fitted with bevelled swan necked cocks, spoon shaped pans, frizzens with rollers on the toe, wide bolt safety catches .Locks retained with a single side nail and hook. Highly figured walnut full stocks, rounded butts with chequering, with silver escutcheons, iron mounts comprising border engraved trigger guards decorated with a Union flag on foliage with pineapple finials, a pair of ramrod pipes each with its original ramrod; both with Wogdon type iron powder measure & worm, silver barrel slide plates. In their green baize lined fitted figured mahogany caddy top case, the lid with Chippendale carrying handle. It is complete with accessories including red leather covered three way powder flask, bullet mould, loading rod, turnscrew & pan brush.
Circa 1798
Pistols good condition, barrels with an old refinish, some original finish remaining, nice examples of Wogdon’s better quality pistols with the extra chequering and gold touch hole. Fully chequered butts are rare by Wogdon.
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.
See John O’Sullivan & De Witt Bailey, ‘Robert Wogdon & Barton, London Gunmakers 1764-1819’, 2019. Page 183 for very similar pistols.