Antique Guns and Equipment
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**EXREMELY RARE**VICTORIAN BANK OF ENGLAND BRITISH ARMY HOUSEHOLD GUARD PICQUET’S**Cased, 1859-1866 London Armoury Company / Alexander Henry Edinburgh Kerr’s Patent 54 Bore Single Action Percussion Revolver. Sn 21218 - 21218 James Kerr had been the foreman for the Deane, Adams and Deane gun factory. Robert Adams, one of the partners and inventor of the Adams revolver, was Kerr's cousin. Kerr developed an improvement to the Adams revolver, British Patent No. 1722 of July 28, 1855, and when Adams left the Deane brothers to found the London Armoury Company on February 9, 1856, Kerr went with him. The London Armoury Company manufactured military rifles and revolvers. Kerr's Patent Revolver was an unusual 5-shot revolver manufactured from 1859 to 1866 by the London Armoury Company. Most were made in 44 Calibre (54 Bore) and only a few in the smaller .36 Calibre. It is easily recognised by its side-mounted hammer. " AS SAFE AS THE BANK OF ENGLAND" is a saying that many of us hear from childhood. It may indeed be heard throughout the world wherever English is spoken. What does it signify? It is an acknowledgement that the Bank of England is regarded as utterly reliable in all its undertakings, and anything entrusted to its care as completely safe and secure. The Bank was founded in 1694, as a company in which any member of the public could buy shares: but in 1946 the Government acquired all the shares by Act of Parliament and the Bank is now owned by the Nation. Along with its other financial responsibilities the bank holds vast quantities of the nation’s gold reserves which requires protection as a deterrent against attack & Robbery. Although the word" deterrent" has been used above, the origin of the Bank Picquet (Guard) lay in more active conditions. It began on the 6th of June 1780 when the Lord Mayor of the day requested the Secretary of State" for some Horse & Foot in order to protect the Mansion House and the Bank". This was in the middle of the Gordon Riots: that day the mob had burned down Newgate Prison: and the next night they did indeed attack the Bank, but the military guard was in place and the mob was driven off with some fatal casualties. From that day to this the Bank of England has been provided with a nightly guard, generally found by one of the battalions of the Household Brigade fulfilling public duties in London. In the course of the 19th Century it was suggested that the guard should be furnished from the militia but the Court of the Bank did not agree to the suggestion and said that they had great reason to believe that the military guard" was highly approved in foreign countries and they are considered a great Security to the property of the Stockholders, who Bank of England Archive (7A147/3) deem a Guard established from the King's Own Guards as a greater Security than any private Guard". The Court of the Bank to-day are of the same opinion in this matter as were their predecessors. In the early days the march from Barracks to the Bank through the crowded streets caused annoyance to the public as the Picquet jostled the pedestrians off the pavement. As a result of complaints, it was subsequently ordered that they should march in the roadway. Of more recent years this caused inconvenience to the traffic: but the sight of the Picquet marching through the streets was a valuable reminder to all and sundry that the Reserves of the Realm were considered so important as to justify protection by the Brigade of Guards. The present arrangements, using army vehicles, give a less obvious reminder but are more economical and more effective. Until 1963 the Guard was mounted in Guard Order and sentries were posted in ceremonial manner. In 1963 the decision was taken to discontinue the ceremonial and since then the Guard has been mounted tactically in an order of dress more appropriate to its modern duties. The strength of the Guard has varied over the years. The Guard has always been under the command of an officer and from 1780 until 1900 consisted of 34 Non-Commissioned Officers and Guardsmen. Between 1900 and 1918 there were two reductions and in 1919 the Picquet was increased again. The composition of the Guard was subsequently changed in 1933, 1948 and 1963. This is an excellent, original, cased Kerr single action revolver issued in the Victorian era to the Army Household Guard Bank Of England Picquet. It is 54 Bore & has the correct captive loading lever and side mounted hammer. The pistol has a 5 ½” octagonal barrel (11 ½” overall). The bore has just light staining & well-defined rifling. One barrel flat is signed ‘LAC’ (London Armoury Company) and has Victorian English proofs. It has a brass post fore sight and ‘v’ notch frame rear sight. The metal in the white is clean. The action frame is signed ‘London Armoury Co’ & ‘Kerr’s Patent 10896’. The number & proofs are repeated on the cylinder (the number is the serial number of the gun, and not the patent number). The most interesting feature of this already rare revolver is that the top of the cylinder frame is crisply marked ‘Bank of England’ no doubt to the Household Guard bank Of England Picquet making this an extremely rare historic piece. Its chequered walnut grip is undamaged. The pistol's Kerr's Patent firing mechanism works crisply. The pistol is contained in its wood case. The felt lined case has compartments which snugly fit the weapon and has room for accessories. The case has a brass lock (key absent). The price for this extremely rare historic cased pistol worthy of further research includes UK delivery. NB As an antique cap & ball percussion revolver no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 21218 £5,225.00 |
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Victorian Era British Enfield Tower Merchant Ship’s 10 Bore Muzzle Loading Percussion Pistol with Brass Cudgel Butt, Iron Ram Rod & Copy of Page from Phillip Webley & Son’s 1870’s Merchant Ships Store Catalogue Advertising This Type of Pistol. Sn 21014. - 21014 This type of pistol was carried on British Merchant Ship’s for protection against enemy nations and pirates. A copy of a page from a Phillip Webley & Son’s catalogue of the 1870’s which illustrates Merchant ships stores weapons & equipment including a pistol the same as ours accompanies this pistol and can be seen in our images. Our pistol is 15” overall length with an 8 ½” round steel barrel which is a large 10 bore. The barrel’s bore has staining & residue consistent with age. The all-original Walnut stock brass furniture including cudgel butt and has just the bumps & bruises to be expected with age and service use. The wood has an indistinct maker or retailer roundel. It has its original iron ram rod. The lock plate is marked with Crown & Tower (Enfield) indicating that, as was common, this Merchant ship example may have been period made from parts of war department muskets for use protecting Merchant shipping. The action functions crisply. The price for this interesting piece includes UK delivery. NB As an antique percussion pistol no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a display or collection. Sn 21014 £775.00 |
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British, Volunteer Martini Henry MK III, Rifle .577x .450 Obsolete Centre Fire Calibre Service Rifle. Sn - 22461 The Martini Henry mark 1 rifle was approved for service on the 17th July 1874. This is a Martini Henry mark 3 rifle which was approved for service in august 1879. The forend was modified to a hook system from a steel cross pin. The action carries Birmingham proof marks for 52 bore (.45 inch bore). The rifle carries the correct mark 3 cleaning rod and both sling swivels are present. The rifle has a good clean bore with good Henry rifling. The rifle carries the serial number 4769 on the left hand side of the barrel. The wood furniture is in excellent condition with very few marks and has a nice smooth finish. The action works crisply and the barrel, action and fittings retain a smooth finish. See section D, Martini arms, RB 79 on page 19 of the Catalogue of the Enfield Pattern Room, British Rifles, published by Her Majesty’s Stationary Office and pages 86 - 90 in The Martini-Henry for Queen and Empire by Neil Aspinshaw. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique obsolete calibre rifle and no licence is required to own this rifle in the UK if retained as a part of a collection or display. Snx 22461 £1,475.00 |
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**RARE**MINT**FACTORY NICKEL PLATED**1871-1888 American Remington Rider 5 Shot .32 Rim Fire Tube Magazine Pistol / Derringer. Sn 22503 - 22503 One of many firearms developed for Remington by Joseph Rider was the Rider Magazine Pistol – a manually operated 5-shot repeater chambered for the .32 extra-short rimfire cartridge (the same round used by the Chicago Palm Protector). It used a tube magazine under the barrel and a simple but clever vertically shifting breechblock to give an impressive amount of firepower in small (and particularly flat and narrow) package. About 15,000 of these were made between 1871 and 1888. The Joseph Rider invention is one of the most unusual of 19th Century pocket pistols and one of the 1st to use a tubular magazine. These pistols were not numbered ( see page 168 of Flayderman’s 9th Edition 2019 re-print). This original example is in near mint condition with excellent original factory nickel finish to its metal work. The innovative 5 shot pull out tube magazine is located underneath the 2 ½”octagonal barrel. Overall length of pistol 6”. The sighted barrel’s bore is clean and bright with well defined rifling. The top of the barrel is nicely marked ‘E. Remington & Sons. Ilion N.Y. Rider's Pat Aug 15th 1871’. It has undamaged American Walnut grips and the action and tube feed system works crisply (The large blued knurled hammer is pulled back which loads a cartridge into the barrel and cocks the smaller blued knurled hammer for firing). This is a rare type of American magazine pistol and to find one in such near mint condition is unusual. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an obsolete calibre rim fire pistol no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as a part of a collection or display. Sn 22503 £2,395.00 |
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**QUALITY MAKER**C1800 Durs Egg London Large Brass Frame & Barrel .650 Carbine Calibre Traveling / Coaching Pistol Period Nipple & Drum Converted From Flintlock To Percussion. Sn 22486 - 22486 Durs Egg (1748–1831) was a Swiss-born British gunmaker, noted for his quality pistols and for his company's production of the Ferguson rifle. Egg was apprenticed in Solothurn and Paris before establishing his own business in London in 1772. He was a contemporary of Joseph Manton, Jean Samuel Pauly and the uncle of Joseph Egg. When the famous gunsmith Durs Egg died in 1831 his Son John Egg took over the business operating at Haymarket London. In 1839 the business name reverted to Durs Egg at 4 Pall Mall London until 1854 then at 4 Colonnade Pall Mall from 1855 to 1865. This is a large brass frame and barrel muzzle loading traveling or Coaching pistol originally a flintlock period nipple & drum converted to percussion by Durs Egg London. The brass has light knocks & bumps consistent with age and use. The pistol has a 6 ¼” round brass sighted barrel and measures 10 ¾” overall length. The barrel’s smooth bore has staining & residue consistent with age & use. One side of the barrel has an English ‘Crown’ proof mark and is signed by the maker ‘D. Egg London’. The pistol has an iron trigger, trigger guard & Dolphin hammer. The brass action has engraved foliate & martial arms decoration. Its original finely chequered Walnut grip is undamaged. The pistol has an ebonised wood ram rod and it cocks and dry fires crisply. The price for this pistol by a quality maker includes UK delivery. NB No licence is required to own these antique muzzle loading percussion pistols in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 22486 (drawers office) £395.00 |
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Victorian C1860 Webley Bentley Type .400 Calibre Long Spur Double Action Only 5 Shot Percussion Revolver With Captive Steel Loading Leaver & Octagonal Barrel. Sn 22482 - 22482 This is a very good Victorian C1860 Webley Bentley Type .400 Calibre Long Spur Double Action Only 5 Shot Percussion Revolver. The pistol’s double action only firing mechanism and loading lever arm function as they should. The hammer has a later addition of a long steel spur resembling Webley Bentley long spur single action revolver hammers. The action, grip frame, trigger guard & steel butt plate have panels of foliate engraved decoration. The pistol retains most of its original factory blue finish. The pistol has a sighted 5” octagonal barrel (10 ½” overall). The pistol’s bore has just staining consistent with age and crisp rifling. The barrel and cylinder have English black powder proofs. It's finely chequered Walnut grip is undamaged. The pistol can be disassembled by undoing a screw lug at the front of the frame which allows the cylinder and barrel to be removed. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique percussion revolver no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 22482 (drawers office) £595.00 |
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1854-1856 American Allen Thurber & Co (Worcester USA), Allen’s 1845 Patent .36 Calibre Tube Bar Hammer Percussion Traveling Boot Pistol With 2 Stage Cannon Barrel. Sn 22485 - 22485 Ethan Allen (September 2, 1808 – January 7, 1871) was a major American arms maker from Massachusetts. He is unrelated to the revolutionary Ethan Allen. His first firearm, the "Pocket rifle" was developed in 1836, and his first patent was granted in 1837. That year he went into business with his brother-in-law, Charles Thurber. Between 1854–1856 the business traded as Allen Thurber & Co (at Worcester). In 1844 Allen submitted a patent for a single-shot percussion pocket pistol with the hammer in the more usual top position for contemporary pistols (his earlier pocket rifle boot pistol’s were under hammer). The spectacular innovation was the 'double action' which allowed firing simply by pulling the trigger. Most firearms of the day and for decades thereafter were 'single action', requiring the user to manually cock the firearm prior to pulling the trigger. The barrel had no sights, this was a close-range personal defence weapon used with a 'point and shoot' method rather than careful aiming. This is a nice example of Allen’s 1845 patent tube hammer boot pistol produced by Allen Thurber & Co (the company traded under a variety of names throughout their history. Between 1854 & 1856 the company traded as Allen Thurber & Co at Worcester USA). It is 9 ½” overall with a 6” 2 stage cannon barrel. The barrel’s bore has light staining consistent with age and has well defined rifling. The underside of the barrel is numbered 867. The top barrel flat is faintly signed ‘Allen Thurber & Co’. The bar hammer cocking & firing actions work crisply. One side of the hammer arm is marked ‘Allen’s patent1845’. The steel action has tooled foliate decoration. The original finely chequered walnut grip is undamaged. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique percussion pistol no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as a part of a collection or display. Sn 22485 £475.00 |
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**MINT BORE**American Civil War Era, 1862 (Early Production) Factory Nickel Plated Colt Model 1861 Navy Single Action 6 Shot Revolver Factory, 3 ½” Re-Barrelled & Converted to Side Port Loading .38 Rim Fire Obsolete Calibre. Sn 20709:15 - 20709:15 The Colt Navy .36 calibre cap & ball revolver was a single-action percussion revolver produced by Colt's Manufacturing Company. It saw widespread use in the American Civil War and on the American western frontier. This is an original example of the Colt M1861 Navy revolver contemporarily factory re-fitted with shorter 3 ½” barrel & converted to .38 RF Calibre (similar examples of Colt conversions are illustrated & described in chapter XVII of Serven’s book Colt Firearms and a Colt 1861 Navy conversion similar to ours with 3 ½” round barrel is illustrated on page 193 of the same book). The pistol’s bore is near mint clean and bright with crisp rifling. The pistol measures 8 ¾” overall. The pistol retains its original factory nickel plating which is tarnished in areas consistent with age and handling and it has a brass grip frame. The top of the barrel is stamped with correct 2 line ‘Colt’s PT. F.A MFG. Co Hartford CT. U.S.A.’ address (see page 192 of Serven’s book). The left side of the frame is stamped with correct Colt’s 1871 & 72 patent detail (see page 193 of the same book & .36 Cal (the original calibre prior to its conversion, illustrated) . The cylinder has a clear ‘Stagecoach Hold Up’ scene engraved. Matching numbers ‘3437’ are stamped on the grip frame, butt, frame, barrel & cylinder. The serial number is in the early production range of 1862. It has an undamaged Walnut grip. During the contemporary conversion process the pistol was made open side port loading without ejector (as illustrated on page 193 of Serven’s book). The barrel has a small conical post fore sight, and the rear sight is a ‘v’ notch in the hammer. The pistol’s single action firing mechanism works crisply. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an obsolete calibre antique revolver no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 20709:15 £1,295.00 |
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C1805 English Wheeler London (Most Likely Robert Wheeler 1805-1808) 54 Bore Flintlock Pocket Pistol with Turn Off Barrel Sn 20359 - 20359 This is a nice English flintlock pocket pistol. The pistol is 7 ¼” overall with 2 ¼” 54 bore turn off barrel. The smoothbore has just staining and residue to be expected with age & use. The left side of the action is engraved with the name 'Wheeler' (most likely Robert Wheeler recorded as owning the Gun & Pistol Warehouse Cheapside 1805-1808 see page 212 of British Gunmakers by Brown). The right side has ‘London’. The rear of the action has a sliding safety bolt. The underside of the action has English proofs. It has a bag shaped wood grip which has a void white metal escutcheon. The hammer is fitted with flint. The pistol's cocking and firing mechanisms work crisply. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique flintlock pistol no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as a part of a collection or display. Sn 20359 £595.00 |
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American Civil War Era .32 Calibre Moores / Williamsons 1864 Patent 6 Shot Teat Fire Revolver. Sn 8761 - Sn 8761 Manufactured from 1864 to 1870 these 6 shot American front loading teat-fire revolvers were one of the most successful competitors to Smith & Wesson and it is believed that their popularity was one of the reasons for Colt's purchase of the National Arms Co in 1870. The top of the barrel is faintly marked "MOORE'S PAT. FIREARMS CO. BROOKLYN N.Y." and the underside with number "15868''. "D. WILLIAMSON'S PATENT JANUARY 5, 1864" is marked around the rear edge of the cylinder. The 'Gold Washed' frame and butt strap are nicely scroll engraved with a punch dot background. It has a case-hardened hammer and smooth dark rosewood grips. The cocking & firing action work as they should. Price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique teat fire pistol no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 8761. (Fair tray). £775.00 |
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