Antique Pistols and Revolvers
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C1840 English Proofed 6 Shot 120 Bore Bar Hammer Percussion Pepperbox Revolver. Sn 22538 - 22538 Pepperbox revolvers with similar features to our example are described and illustrated on pages 104-109 of the book Pepperbox firearms by Dunlap. This C1840 6 Shot 120 bore bar hammer percussion pepperbox revolver is in excellent condition. The revolver measures 7 ½” overall and has a steel barrel cluster length of 2 ¾”. The barrel ribs have English proofs. The pistol has an undamaged finely chequered walnut grip. The blackened steel action, grip frame, steel bar hammer, butt plate, trigger guard and muzzles of each barrel have quality tooled decoration. There are no external maker or date marks on this pistol. The smooth bores of each barrel have just light staining consistent with age and its cocking and firing actions work crisply. NB As an antique percussion pistol no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 22538 (drawers office) £675.00 |
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**QUALITY MAKER**C1860 English Victorian Westley Richards London English Double Damascus Barrelled 15 Bore Percussion ‘Howdah’ Pistol With Captive Steel Ram Rod. Sn 22539 - 22539 The renowned English Gunsmiths Westley Richards & Co have been making unique and best quality shotguns and rifles for over 200 years. The Howdah pistol was a large-calibre handgun, often with two or four barrels, used in India and Africa from the beginning of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, during the period of British Colonial rule. It was typically intended for defence against Tigers, Lions, and other dangerous animals that might be encountered in remote areas. The term "howdah pistol" comes from the howdah, a large platform mounted on the back of an Elephant. Hunters, especially during the period of the British Raj in India, used Howdahs as a platform for hunting wild animals and needed large-calibre side-arms for protection from animal attacks at close quarters. The earliest Howdah pistols were flintlock designs, and it was not until about 60 years later percussion models in single or double barrel configuration were seen. Even though Howdah pistols were designed for emergency defence from dangerous animals in Africa and India, British Officers adopted them for personal protection in other far-flung outposts of the British Empire. This is an excellent, original, percussion double barrel Howdah pistol by Westley Richards. Its side by side finely figured Damascus barrels are 5 ¼” in length and are 15 bore. It measures 11 ½” overall length. The smooth bores are clean. It has a broad top rib and small brass bead fore sight. The action plates have foliate engraved decoration and are signed by the maker Westley Richards. It has safety bolts on each action. Both barrels at the breech have silver roundel inserts. The barrel rib is engraved ‘Westley Richards 170 New Bond Street London’. It has double triggers, heavy Dolphin hammers and steel trigger guard all with foliate engraved decoration and is complete with its original captive steel ram rod. The weapon has a lovely walnut full wood stock which has chequering at the grip and inlaid void silver escutcheon on top of the wrist. The fore stock has a polished horn end cap. The pistol cocks and dry fires crispy. The price for this impressive percussion pistol by renowned English gun smiths 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 collection or display. Sn 22539 £1,895.00 |
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*SOLD SOLD (23/04) *VERY RARE**MINT BORE**Austrian Augustin Tube Lock Ignition System Kavalleriepistole M-1851 (Model 1851) .650 Carbine Calibre Dragoon / Heavy Cavalry Pistol With Vienna Proof Mark. Sn 22540 - 22540 The Austrian Model 1851 Cavalry Pistol, also known as the "Kavalleriepistole M-1851", is a notable example of a single-shot, large-bore muzzle-loading pistol that utilized the Augustin tube lock ignition system, a unique feature that distinguished it from other contemporary firearms. This is an excellent original, unaltered example This pistol was a key weapon of the Austrian Empire's cavalry, representing a transition period from flintlock to percussion ignition systems. It is a large-bore, single-shot muzzle-loader, characteristic of the end of the era of heavy cavalry and dragoons. Some surplus Austrian long arms, including those with the tube lock system, were even delivered to US forces during the early days of the Civil War. The Augustin tube lock system, developed by Augustin, was a unique feature of this pistol. It involved a tube containing the percussion cap, which was then struck by a hammer to ignite the powder charge. This system was designed to be reliable and efficient, even in harsh conditions, and was a significant advancement in firearm technology at the time. The pistol is .650 carbine calibre. The original Augustin ignition system is rare to find making it a valuable collector's item. The pistol has faint Austrian Vienna proof mark at the tail of the lock plate and number 854 (either a weapon number or partial 1854 date) at the centre. Unlike our example some of these pistols were altered to flintlocks, particularly in England, where there was a market for such weapons in Africa and South America. These alterations involved replacing the tube lock mechanism with a flintlock mechanism, requiring new hammers, frizzles, and Birmingham proofs. Our example has a 10” blued steel barrel with proof / inspection marks, blued steel hammer lock plate, Augustin tube lock ignition system which functions crisply and blued steel trigger. The pistol has regulation heavy brass fittings including cudgel butt and long fore end block incorporating a blade fore sight. Correctly there is no provision for ram rod. The pistol is a large 17 ¼” overall length. The pistol’s smooth bore is near mint, clean and bright. The Austrian Model 1851 Cavalry Pistol is a fascinating example of 19th-century military firearms technology. It represents a transition period from flintlock to percussion ignition systems and the evolution of cavalry weaponry. Its unique Augustin tube lock system and its presence in the American Civil War make it a valuable piece for collectors and historians. The price for this very rare pistol in excellent condition includes UK delivery. NB As an antique muzzle loading Augustin Tube Lock pistol no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as a part of a collection or display Sn 22540 £0.00 |
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**MATCHING NUMBERS**C1870’s-1880’s Whitneyville Armoury USA 1871 Patent Brass Frame .32 Rim Fire Obsolete Calibre 5 Shot Pocket Revolver With Octagonal Barrel. Sn 22526 - 22526 This is an original brass framed .32 Rim Fire 5 shot revolver made by Whitneyville Armoury USA (founded 1798 New Haven Connecticut USA by Eli Whitney). These American pocket revolvers were produced in the 1870's into the 1880's. The pistol has a 3” factory nickel plated steel octagonal barrel. The nickel finish has areas of age related tarnish. The barrel’s bore has staining and residue consistent with age and use and well defined rifling. The top barrel flat is marked ‘Whitneyville Armory CT USA’ together with faint 'Pat May 23 1871'. The grip frame butt is stamped with serial number '3797B’. Matching numbers ‘797’ are stamped on the cylinder. The revolver has a sheathed trigger and the pistol's single action firing mechanism works, correctly in single action only. The cylinder is quickly removed for speed loading with a preloaded cylinder by pressing a small button on the underside of its frame and removing its cylinder spigot which doubles as a clearing rod. The original chequered panel gutta percha hard rubber grips are undamaged and have ‘W’ (Whitneyville) signature. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique obsolete calibre rim fire revolver no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as a part of a collection or display. Sn 22526 (drawers office) £475.00 |
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**MINT BORE**MATCHING NUMBERS**Hopkins & Allen Manufacturing Company USA 1871 -1875 Patent ‘XL No.5 Safety Lock’ .38 Rim Fire Obsolete Calibre 5 Shot Single Action Factory Nickel Plated Revolver. Sn 22525 - 22525 Hopkins & Allen Arms Company was a US firearms manufacturing company based in Norwich, Connecticut that was founded in 1868 by Charles W. Allen, Charles A. Converse, Horace Briggs, Samuel S. Hopkins and Charles W. Hopkins. The Hopkins brothers ran the day-to-day operations of the company until it went bankrupt in 1916 and was subsequently bought by Marlin-Rockwell. Their ‘XL No.5 Safety Lock’ revolver, is one of many revolvers based on S&W and Colt Patents produced in the 1860’s through to the late 1870s with dynamic or quirky names to attract sales. This is an original example of their ‘XL No.5 Safety Lock’ revolver. The steel pistol retains some original factory nickel finish with areas of staining and tarnish consistent with age. It has a 1 ¾” octagonal steel barrel (6 ¼” overall). The barrel’s bore is near mint clean and bright with crisp rifling. The top of the frame is crisply marked 'Hopkins & Allen Mfg Co XL No.5 Safety Lock’ and with 1871-1875 patents. The barrel is numbered ‘173’ which is repeated on the cylinder. It has a sheathed trigger, blade fore sight, notched frame rear sight and undamaged walnut grips. The cylinder can be removed by pressing a steel lever on the left side of the pistol which releases the cylinder spigot. The spigot can also be used as a clearing rod. The action cocks and dry fires correctly in single action only. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique obsolete calibre rim fire revolver no licence is required to own this pistol in the UK if retained as a part of a collection or display. Sn 22525 £575.00 |
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**RARE SNUB NOSE**MINT BORE**ALL MATCHING NUMBERS**1871-1879 Whitneyville Armoury USA Model 2 ½ Brass Framed .38 Rim Fire 5 Shot Revolver With Rare Short Variant 1 ½” Octagonal Barrel. Sn 22549 - 22549 The Whitneyville Armoury was founded in 1798 at New Haven Connecticut USA by Eli Whitney. This is an original Whitneyville Armoury, Model No 2 ½ .38 rimfire revolver. The estimated production numbers for this model are only 5,000. They were made with both steel and brass frames. This is the scarce Whitney snub nose 1 ½” short barrel variant with brass frame. The pistol is 5 ¾” overall length. It’s octagonal blued steel barrel is signed on the left barrel flat ‘Whitneyville Armory Pat May 1871’. The barrel’s bore is near mint, clean & bright with well defined rifling. The barrel has a brass blade fore sight and grooved cylinder frame rear sight. The butt is stamped '3156B'. Matching numbers ‘156’ are repeated on the fluted blued steel cylinder and cylinder spigot. The revolver has a sheathed trigger and the pistol's single action firing mechanism works crisply. The cylinder is quickly removed for speed loading with a preloaded cylinder by pressing a small button on the underside of its frame and removing the cylinder spigot which doubles as a clearing rod. The American rose wood grips are undamaged. The price for this rare snub nose pistol includes UK delivery. NB As an obsolete calibre rim fire revolver no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as a part of a collection or display. Sn 22549 (drawers office) £975.00 |
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**RARE**MINT BORE**Large, 1865-1868 American Civil War Era, Connecticut Arms & Manufacturing Co, Hammond's 1864 Patent, .41 Rim Fire Calibre 'Swing Breech' Bulldog Derringer Pistol. Sn 22547 - 22547 The Connecticut Arms & Manufacturing Co. was one of many firms formed during the American Civil War. Founded in 1863 by Brothers Henry B. and Lewis Hammond, the company was located at Naubuc, a town located about ten miles southeast of Hartford. This is an excellent, original .41 Rim Fire calibre single shot 'swing breech' loading Hammond's 1864 patent Bulldog pistol. Introduced in 1865, approximately 7,400 of these single shot pistols were manufactured before production ceased in 1868. Loading is accomplished by depression of a knurled steel button on top of the breech when the pistol is at half cock and pivoting the breech block to the left. One of the largest Derringers, It has a 4" octagonal barrel which is stamped 'Connecticut Arms & Manf'g Co Naubuc Conn'. The rim of the swing out chamber is marked 'Patented Oct 25 1864' in small lettering. The barrel’s bore is near mint, clean & bright with well defined rifling. It has a blade fore sight and the rear sight is a groove in the breech release button. The pistol’s original chequered panel wood grip is excellent and undamaged. The pistols loading and firing actions work crisply. The price for this rare Civil War era pistol includes UK delivery. NB As an obsolete calibre antique pistol, no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 22547 (drawers office) £895.00 |
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**MATCHING NUMBERS**Cased, C1870 -1880 Factory Nickel Plated Colt USA No.1 .41 Rim Fire Obsolete Calibre ‘Knuckle Duster’ Derringer. Sn 22550 - 22550 Colt made their No.1 Derringer between 1870 and 1880. Colt designs were used by other American Arms manufacturer’s. This is an excellent original Factory Nickel plated steel .41 RF Calibre ‘Knuckle Duster’ Colt’s No.1 derringer. It measures 5” overall with a 2 ½” barrel which has a flat top with blade fore sight. The rifled bore has staining & residue consistent with age & use. The barrel’s flat top is marked by the maker ‘Colt Mfg Hartford Ct USA No.1’ between Maltese cross marks. The underside of the barrel is numbered ‘3391’ and has proof / inspection marks. It has a spurred knurled hammer incorporating a ‘v’ notch rear sight & it has a sheathed trigger. The pistol has a hook handle with the appearance of a knuckle duster (the heavy handle could be used to strike an assailant). The butt has matching number ‘3391’ and the steel frame has foliate scroll work decoration. The barrel swings to the left for loading by sliding a knurled steel button on the frame to the rear. Its loading and firing actions work crisply. The pistol is contained in its associated fitted wood case. The top of the hinged lid has a recess for plate (plate absent). The case is lined with felt. The case has its original lock (key absent). The price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique, obsolete calibre derringer no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 22550 (drawers office) £1,250.00 |
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C1830 Continental 54 Bore Percussion Pocket Pistol With Screw Off Steel Rifled Barrel. Sn 22488:2 - 22488:2 This is a percussion pocket pistol in continental form made C1830. The pistol’s action has panes of foliate engraved decoration on both sides. The underside of the action is stamped ‘SP’ most likely a factory inspector’s mark. The pistol measures 6” overall & has a 1 ¾” turn off blued steel barrel (a tool is required to turn off the barrel, we do not have the tool). The barrel’s smooth bore has staining and residue consistent with age and use. It’s steel trigger is without guard. The pistol has its original bag shaped Walnut grip which is numbered 224. The pistol’s cocking & firing actions work crisply. The price includes UK delivery. NB No licence is required to own this antique percussion pistol in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 22488:2 (drawers office) £245.00 |
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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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