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REILLY SERIAL NUMBERING MUFF-PISTOLS?:

This is a pedantic academic exercise to document thoughts on dating Reilly hand-guns in the 1828-1840 time period. It repeats to a large extent previous analysis of Reilly handguns but is a reconsideration. Welcome opposing analysis and ideas.

There are a pair of Reilly “muff-pistols” for sale on Guns International which have forced a second look at the early Reilly SN dating chart:
https://www.gunsinternational.com/s...d=Reilly&start_row=1&the_order=6


The SN on these two guns is “72.” (Note: Reilly used the same serial number for pairs during this period usually adding “1” and “2” to differentiate them). They have London proofs (early stamps). If this holds up, these are the earliest known Reilly SN’s yet found. But are these real Reilly Serial Numbers?

I. Analysis:

. . .1) Reilly advertised himself as “Pistol and Rifle maker” from 1828 continuously up to and including the 1841 census. He was clearly making, or engraving and selling, serial numbered pistols during at least part of this time.

. . .2) Reilly without question serial numbered pistols up to a point in time. At least four, possibly 5, extant SN'd pistols from 1828 while at Holborn Bars up until sometime after the August 1835 move to High Holborn exist. At some point after the move Reilly quit serial numbering – and probably making – hand guns:

. .. . . . .2A) There are clearly 3 SN'd "horse pistol" pairs SN’d at Holborn Bars + one Pepper pot from 316 High Holborn:

. . . . . . . . . . - 88 - a Reilly carriage pistol duo with documented sale in 1829 has been the earliest so far.


. . . . . . . . . .- 176 - a Reilly carriage pistol pair previously owned by Terry Buffum:
http://www.amoskeagauction.com/108/283.html
Description: serial #176, .50 caliber, 8 3/4" smooth bore octagon barrels with lightly oxidized bores. The tops of the barrels are each marked "J.C. REILLY, HOLBORN BARS, LONDON" and each lock is engraved "J.C. REILLY".


, , , , , , , , , ,- 254 - a Reilly carriage pistol pair referred to in numerous articles but never actually seen:
Terry Weiland
https://books.google.com/books?id=O...;q=reilly%20london%20shotgun&f=false


. . . . . . . . . .- 1271 - one Pepper-pot 1271 clearly serial numbered at High Holborn.
https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...-c-reilly-of-london.cfm?gun_id=102993525
Description:
NSN, .42 Caliber, 4" barrel cluster with very good, lightly freckled bores. This is an 1840s-made pepperbox that retains much of the original color case-hardening on the barrels, with a bright gray patina on the balance. A similar amount of color case-hardening can be seen on the engraved bar hammer, while the engraved trigger guars has bright original blue remaining. The cylindrical frame has nearly all of the original bright nickel finish remaining with the maker and address on the left side, and "IMPROVED REVOLVING / PISTOL" on the right.


. .. . . . .2B)-- There were two “muff pistols” assumed to be serial numbered which were deemed to be important date markers:

. . . . . . . . . . .- 1024 - at High Holborn, which became the marker SN for the move.
http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/a...lot-e25d3ca4-b9a7-497d-b030-a3fd003539d2


However, a second look at the advertisement in German shows that the address was High Holborn but the “SN” was actually refering to the Stöckels reference book p. 1024. This gun may have a SN but it is not published and thus now has to be deleted from the chart.
http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/a...lot-e25d3ca4-b9a7-497d-b030-a3fd003539d2
Perkussions-Terzerolpistole um 1840 Joseph Charles Reilly London
achtkantiger, glatter Lauf, im Kaliber 8,5 mm, mit leichter Gravur an Laufmündung, sowie Signatur auf der Oberseite "Reilly 316 Holborn London". Mit Rankendekor graviertes Perkussionsschloss, Abzug klappt bei Spannung des Hahnes aus. Nussbaumholzgriff mit feiner, metallverstärkter Fischhautverschneidung, sowie fein geschnittener Eisengarnitur. Silberne Monogrammplatte auf Griffrücken unbenutzt. Joseph Charles Reilly - London, erw. 1830 - 1858 (vgl. Stöckels S. 1024). Gesamtlänge: 14,5 cm, Zustand 2

- 1292 – 316, High Holborn, which along with the pepper pot, became one of the two last known SN’d Reilly pistols. This ad is so specific that the SN, though not photographed is accepted because it is in metal (though the total lack of other muff-pistols having SN's has to be mentioned):
http://www.garthvincent.com/antique/1597/a+miniature+pocket+pistol/


. . .3). After the two SN’s 1271 and 1292 no other serial numbered Reilly pistols have appeared. At some point after the Aug 1835 move to High Holborn, postulated to be in 1837, Reilly stopped serial numbering pistols, though he continued to advertise, put his name on and sell thousands of all types.

II. Nevertheless, SN “72” raises the question, “Were muff pistols actually Serial Numbered?” Which led to additional research:

1) Here were some of the assumptions in trying to study this issue:
. . . . .A) Address – Muff pistols would have one of four addresses,
. . . . . . . . .1) Holborn Bars – 1828-1835;
. . . . . . . . .2) 316, High Holborn – 1835 – 1847;
. . . . . . . . .3) New Oxford Street post 1847, or
. . . . . . . . .4) simply “London” postlated to be post 1837
. . . . .B) Name:
. . . . . . . . .1) “J.C. Reilly” or
. . . . . . . . .2) “Reilly”:
It was postulated that “Reilly, London” began to be used in August, 1840 when E.M. apparently was brought into full partnership in the firm. At this time “Reilly, London” appeared in newspaper advertisements.
. . . . .C). Proof marks –
. . . . . . . . .1). London: It was assumed that Reilly SN guns would always be proofed in London at that stage. And a corollary: “If a pistol has London proofs, it could have a Reilly Serial Number. . . or
. . . . . . . . .2). Birmingham – with two assumptions: all pistols with his name without SN's would have Birmingham proofs and no serial number.

2) After a lot of research addressing these points here are the conclusions:
. . . . .A). There were “muff-pistols” made having all four early addresses from 1828-1847 – Holborn Bars, High Holborn, New Oxford Street and simply "London".
. . . . .B). The names on these muff pistols were as postulated, “JC Reilly” or just “Reilly.”


. . . . .C). The early Holborn-Bars muff-pistols do indeed have London proof marks but for at least muff pistols there is only one with an identified serial number 1292 as mentioned (And that now has to be questioned);
. . . . .D) Muff pistols with the 316, High Holborn address can be found with either Birmingham or London proofs (and no serial number):


. . . . .E). Two other muff pistols have been found with numbers stamped on their butts.


III. To sum up SN “72”,
-- it has “Reilly, London” name and address – which was previously assumed to be a post 1840 construct.
-- It has London proofs which was previously assumed to be associated with 1828-1837 Reilly’s. but which has been found on a post 1847 gun.
-- The pair have the same number on the butt stocks.

So is “72” a serial number? The conclusion must be that it is not. This is backed up by numbers stamped in two other muff pistol butt stocks “8” and “616” that are not Reilly serial numbers. Thus, believe that this pair likely was made around 1840 when the Reilly advertisements changed to “Reilly, London.”

Therefore, the only change made will be to the date for when Reilly's first gun was serial numbered at 316 High Holborn, this by eliminating 1024 as a serial number. There is a JC Reilly long-gun with SN 1174 but without an address. Thus the Pepperpot 1271 becomes the first extant serial numbered Reilly with a confirmed 316, High Holborn address. It therefore becomes the new marker gun for the move to High Holborn which will require some adjustment to the early dating chart (depending on the analysis of the pepper-pot patents, already looked at.