A Rare Post Boy’s Flintlock Pistol by Harding & Son. 15" overall, 9" round 15 bore iron barrel with Post Office crowned arrow proof mark to the left hand side. Engraved on top 'J Harding & Son, Boro. London'. With stepped bolted engraved lock signed 'J Harding & Son' under the pan, with crowned arrow mark behind pan. Swan neck cock, walnut full stock with engraved brass mounts and horn tipped ramrod. Barrel retained by slides.
Circa 1843-4
Post Boys’ pistols are exceedingly rare.
In very good condition.
Ex Clive Brook Collection
James Harding Gunmaker, 44 Blackman St., Borough, 1810; 38 Blackman St., 1811-24; 99 Blackman St., 1825-7; 82 Blackman St., 1828-33. Gunmaker to General Post Office (brass barrelled mail coach pistols & blunderbusses); Union Street Police Office, Southwark from 1816.
James & Son Gunmakers, 82 Blackman St., Borough, 1834-6; 265Borough High St., 1837-8; 246 High St., 1838-43.
See The 89th London Antique Arms Fair Catalogue, Autumn 2012, article pages 48-49 of 'Firearms of the Mail Coach Guards' by F. Wilkinson and "Those Entrusted with Arms" by Frederick Wilkinson, Appendix 4 pages 257-258. The mark of a crown above a broad arrow often appears on barrels and locks of this pattern. However, as Wilkinson states, this "special mark is found on many, but not all, of Harding's coaching weapons".