doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com O T Did Purdey Ever Make Pistols?

If asked I would have said no but here's this item on Ebay.
Jim
http://www.ebay.com/itm/English-Oak-Pist...=item4164ac2fcd

I also discovered that the same seller has an E M Reilly pistol box as well.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/English-Mahogany...=item4164ac0c5e

They made Howdah pistols like the ones below; in house. These are in my collection. One is a Williams and Powell, Liverpool. The other is a William Parker, London. They were originally used as a last resort when hunting tigers in Howdah seats mounted on elephants. Some had rifled barrels others did not. The usual load was a ball and a shot charge in the other barrel. They shot first with a rifle but if they missed the tigers were known to climb into the seat. Later, this type of pistol was adopted by British officers. The Adams was probably finished, engraved and fitted in the case by Purdey or retailed / exported by them. This was a standard practice at the time; marking others guns if sold or finished by another maker.



[img:center]http:// DSCN1445 by vytautus, on Flickr[/img]

Lochlan:
Yes I am familiar with Howdah pistols. I just don't remember seeing any by either of the above makers. So my understanding is that you're saying these pistols were made by other firms and just marketed by a Company like Purdey?
Jim

isxs, note that Purdey bought-in and retailed a number of "graded" guns that were Birmingham made. Most/all makers did similar marketing. Purdeys made their best work guns (mostly) in-house. Some made their "graded" guns in-house and bought-in best work guns. "Gun Trade" meant that guns, parts, workers, contracts, patents, house secrets, etc. all got swapped/sold/bought around as somebody had a chance to make money.

DDA

The NRA displayed a collection of dueling pistols,years ago,at the Chantilly gun show in Va. There was a beautiful pair of muzzle loaders with Purdey's name on them. I am not sure there is any reason to beleive that they were not made by James Purdey,"the elder",himself.

I was in contact with Peter Powell, doing some research on my gun. The records he had for the shipment to Schoverling and Daly in 1870, that included my gun, had a couple of revolvers, marked Wm Powell and sons. He said whoever did the final finish work on the gun usually signed them. There was also a used percussion Westley Richards in the order. I doubt revolvers were made in house, the tooling would be completely different and complicated. Howdahs are very similar to shotguns and the barrels are usually the same bore. I am pretty sure the howdahs were made in house but revolvers seem unlikely.

Purdey indeed made pistols. Beautiful pistols. Flintlock. Percussion. Single. Double. Smooth. Rifled. Beautiful. Made approx. 1830 - 1860. I said approx.

Yep, I nearly bought a pair of cased Purdey duelling pistols about 5 years ago, cost then GBP14k, they were lovely, looked almost unfired, best

I have a Purdey .32 cal rimfire Tranter patent pistol with Purdey's name and the the 314 1/2 Oxford Street address.

I once owned a beautiful British .455 revolver made by Joseph Lang - similar to the Webley design, but different and nicer. I wish I hadn't sold it.

JERRY