pair of English flintlock pistols

[Mika.G]

My flintlock pistols, markt Liverpool.

2018-05-29_03-31-17 by Mika Gustafsson, on Flickr

 

[dave_person]

Hi Mika,
Is there a name on the barrel or lock? Liverpool had quite a few gun makers during the late 18th and early 19th centuries when your pistols were probably made. Your pistols were made for dueling. Note the front and rear sights. I suspect the rear sight has a wide notch or "U" designed for quick aiming and snap shooting. I would love to see closer photos of the breech area and lock. Do the trigger guards have "pineapple" finials and are set or hair triggers installed?

dave

 

[Mika.G]

On the barrel.

 

[Mika.G]

2018-05-29_06-22-27 by Mika Gustafsson, on Flickr

2018-05-29_06-22-48 by Mika Gustafsson, on Flickr


2018-05-29_06-25-20 by Mika Gustafsson, on Flickr

 

[Mika.G]

2018-05-29_06-43-34 by Mika Gustafsson, on Flickr

 

[dave_person]

Hi Mika,
The maker is probably Robert Jones and his son Edward of Liverpool, England. Robert Jones is listed as working between 1827 and 1869, the very end of the flint era and well into percussion and breech loading guns. The finial on the trigger guard I of which I was asking is the decorative front end of the guard, not the bow. I can see from one of your photos that it is a pineapple as I suspected and also the rear sight has a wide "U" notch as I guessed. Definitely set up for dueling. Interestingly, the styling is a throw back to the 1780s and 1790s. The quality is not comparable with the 1st class London and Birmingham makers. Regardless, they are very nice pistols and thanks for sharing them.

dave

 

[Artificer]

Mika,

Dave Person went beyond anything I could write about the pistols, but I just wanted to say what a treat it was to view them!! Thank You! :hatsoff:

I bet they hold very nicely in the hand.

Gus

 

[Mika.G]

Ok thank you for the information, wondering what they are worth?

 

[pargent]

:thumbsup:

 

[smoothshooter]

Why can't modern lock makers copy exactly the geometry of those locks?

Our modern designers and manufacturers steadfastly refuse to make use of examples where the R &D is already done. A they have to do is copy.

I am referring mainly about how modern locks almost never have the jaws of the cock pointing as directly at the bottom of the pan and vent hole as even some of the lower-grade locks of old did.

 

[rickystl]

WOW!! Beautiful pair of pistols. It seems the better quality guns were kept in good condition by their owner(s). Thanks for posting.

Rick

 

[Mika.G]

2018-06-23_02-20-45 by Mika Gustafsson, on Flickr

 

[Mika.G]

2018-06-23_02-28-30 by Mika Gustafsson, on Flickr

 

[MSW]

great looking pistols!

 

[Mika.G]

Thanks are very pleased with them.