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**SCARCE**TRANSITIONAL**MINT BORE**Cased, Victorian English, Thomas Kerslake Baker’s 1852 Patent, German Silver Frame, 54 Bore Six Chamber Cap & Ball Revolving Lever Cock Percussion Pistol. Sn 21229 - 21229 Thomas Baker was born on the 25th of September, 1800. He owned a gunsmithing business at 88 Fleet Street in London, and patented a type of hammer for percussion revolver in 1852, which had a notched cocking handle attached. This hammer achieved fair popularity with British revolvers of the time. In 1857, Frederick T. Baker took over Thomas’ business and produced hunting shotguns until the twentieth century. Thomas Baker passed away in his late 70’s in 1879 (British Patent No. 3230 of 24 April 1852 for his ‘long-spur hammer’ see A.W.F. Taylerson, R.A.N. Andrews and J. Frith, The Revolver 1818-1865, 1968, p. 46, pl. 6 and pp. 68-69, fig. 8). This is a scarce cased transitional Bakers Registered 1852 Patent Six Chamber Revolving Lever Cock Pistol in excellent condition. The pistol is 11 ¼” overall length. It retains its original finish throughout, 5” octagonal to round blued barrel and cylinder, long lever action hammer marked Bakers Patent, engraved German silver frame with serial number ‘1911’ The cylinder & barrel have English black powder proofs. The pistol’s original Walnut grips are undamaged. The pistol’s cocking and firing actions are crisp. Its safety bolt works correctly at half cock to prevent firing when loading percussion caps. The barrel’s bore is near mint, clean and bright with well defined multi groove rifling. The pistol is contained in its wood case with hinged lid. The top of the lid is inlaid with a void brass roundel. The case has a brass lock (key absent). Inside the lid of the case is an original trade label with instructions for use. The price for this excellent, rare to find cased transitional pistol 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 21229
£2,250.00
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