doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com E.M. Reilly; History; Chronology; Serial Numbers

In the dating chart the last extant Reilly pistol with a serial number is 1292 a miniature pocket pistol which would date to 1837 (and there is some question whether that is a Reilly number). Today, however, there is a pepperbox just posted on Guninternational with J.C. Reilly, 316, High Holborn, London address and a serial number 1271. It has Birmingham proof-marks.

This should be a genuine Reilly serial number. As such it can be a very early marker on the quality of engraving being done at 316 High Holborn, even if Reilly didn't actually make all the elements of the pistol (he probably built it using components). It also helps cement in the approximate date Reilly stopped serial numbering pistols, 1837.

Does it hold up with pepperbox history? The seller using our data (which he got a bit wrong) dates it to 1840. The popular pepperbox as we know it was invented in the early 1830's and in 1837 a Belgian gunsmith refined it. It was built in several versions for years and since most of the parts were machine made, it was relatively cheap. Thus I believe history will support identifying this gun as a genuine Reilly serial numbered pistol, quite a find:; if someone, who is an expert on pepperboxes, can further refine the year based on features of the handgun, would much appreciate the information.

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...-c-reilly-of-london.cfm?gun_id=102993525








As a comparison, here is a pepperbox - J.C. Reilly and 316 High Holborn - but with no SN. This "hammerless" design originated in Belgium in 1837; This one is a "Cooper's Patent" gun - John Rock Cooper, Birmingham gunsmith working from 1836 - 1863, patented this design in 1843:
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...uykPbxqjba3KwOyakEQWF2efl1tjmElPhH_ouGi4