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Forums10
Topics38,506
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Most Online1,344 Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 975 Likes: 51
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 975 Likes: 51 |
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 424
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 424 |
Would you like to sell them? If not, well I like your taste in collectables.
bc
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,737 Likes: 96
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,737 Likes: 96 |
Superb! Williams & Powell were at South Castle Street from 1834 to 1905 which is not much help in dating. The name still lives on and is owned by Chris Caine who has W.Richards Gunmakers; previously of Liverpool but now in Pocklington, Yorkshire. I do know that W&P records are lost. It might however be worth contacting the College of Arms http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/ to see if they can tell you to whom the crest was granted. It might put some flesh on the bones and provide a provenence. Good find. Lagopus.....
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,703 Likes: 103
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,703 Likes: 103 |
Superb!......to see if they can tell you to whom the crest was granted. Lagopus..... Thought that crest might be a takeoff from the new pictures of the World's most beautiful Duchess; attention Armadillo Mike...Geo
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 975 Likes: 51
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 975 Likes: 51 |
RCC the guns will definitly be sold at some point.I just neeed to determine value. Lagopus, I sent the college of Arms an email. I appreciate you sharing this angle. Does anyone have a list of proof marks they cn compare to the ones on the barrels? Looking around the net it appears these could be Howdah pistols????
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,522
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,522 |
I would say they are smoothbore blackpowder pistols from the London View proof and single blackpowder proof. However, I am not enough of a scholar on British proofs to bracket the date. Could have been after 1868 through 1954 proof law. I think the action type may be more useful in dating the guns than the proofs.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 528
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 528 |
Not Howdahs - not quite heavy enough. More likely a very high quality set of traveling handguns to keep the odd highwayman, rioter, or revolutionary at bay. Nice pair.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,133 Likes: 198
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,133 Likes: 198 |
Nope, not howdahs, as Joe said, but I still want to own them. How big are the bores? That is a clue.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 975 Likes: 51
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 975 Likes: 51 |
The bores are approximatly .490. Also the weight of the pistols is 1LB. 11 OZ each. The barrel lenths are 4 3/4". They balnce and fit comfortably in the hand.
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 188
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 188 |
The engraved scrollwork is exceptionally well done as compared with other arms of the percussion period. The background has been textured with a single point graver to give the impression of relief. Most English and European guns of the period have unengraved background between the leaves of acanthus or vine scroll. Some consider English scroll more "posh" but it is actually quicker to do than acanthus scroll with background texturing.
Also the scrolls are very well formed with concentric spirals that are free of the "doglegs" and "elbows" frequently seen on large scroll of that period.
Very nice pistols. I'm sure they will be easy to sell.
Cheers, Roger
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