A Very Fine Cased Pair of Flintlock Saw Handled Duelling Pistols by H.W. Mortimer & Son. 15 ½” overall, 10”octagonal 30 bore Damascus barrels signed on the top-flat 'H.W. MORTIMER & SON, LONDON' over 'GUNMAKERS TO HIS MAJESTY', dove tailed bronze fore-sights, engraved band and gold line at breech, platinum lined touch hole, engraved top tang with sighting groove and standing notch, flat border and trophy engraved locks signed below the rainproof pans 'H.W. MORTIMER & SON, 89 FLEET ST.T'. Engraved French 'C' form cocks with sliding safes behind, engraved frizzens with roller springs, both numbered 1064 on the lock bolster’s, Walnut saw handled full stocks with chequered flat based grips, the pommels inset with engraved white metal oval caps, spurred trigger guard bows, single set triggers, tool ended ramrods and twin plain barrel wedges. In their original walnut case with lifting ring handle engraved ‘Lieut. Skelton XX Regt.’ (Regimental number has been defaced) stamped 1064, lined and compartmented in coarse green baize, 'H.W. Mortimer & Son' parchment label inside lid containing their original three-way flask, a miss-numbered mould, a stripping tool and loading rod.
No 1064 made between 1806-11
Pistols in near mint condition with nearly all original finish. The best pair of Mortimers to pass through our hands in 40 years.
Lieut. Skelton XX Regt. In the time frame I have found a William Skelton 76th Foot, Thomas Skelton 59th Foot and Philip Skelton 75th Foot. Might be Thomas as he was at the recapture of Cape Town in 1806 and is not in later Army Lists, and these pistols were found in South Africa. Worthy of further research.
Lee Munson “The Mortimer Gunmakers” pp 172-8 pl. 265
Harvey Walklate Mortimer (1753-1819) was appointed Gunmaker to George III in 1783. He was at 89 Fleet Street between 1782 and 1799 and was Contractor to the East India Company from 1796 until 1806 in partnership with his son 1808-1811. He retired in 1811 and died in 1819.