An Untouched Pair of Flintlock Duelling Pistols by Joseph Manton, London, No. 5808 For 1812. With heavy octagonal barrels each with blade fore-sight, recessed patent breeches each with rectangular platinum-lined maker’s stamp, platinum line and platinum touch-hole, border engraved tangs each with large back-sight and finely decorated with scrolling foliage, signed border engraved flat detented locks each decorated with a starburst behind the rainproof pan and with a martial trophy on the tail, engraved safety catches, foliate engraved cocks, the steels engraved ‘Joseph Manton Patent’ and numbered respectively ‘4908’ and ‘4909’ and each with roller bearing on a ramp on the steel spring, figured half-stocks (some old bruising) dark horn fore-end cap and chequered rounded butt, border engraved steel mounts (some finish showing underneath the muck) decorated with decorated with martial trophies and comprising butt-caps and serial numbered trigger-guards, trigger-plates each with pineapple finial, turned rear ramrod-pipes, vacant silver escutcheons and barrel-bolt escutcheons, original horn-tipped ramrods. 

Notes:

The pistols are in completely untouched condition, they are the very definition of ‘sleepy’. There are traces of original finish. The pistols could be cleaned up….or just left as they are. A beautiful pair of pistols by one of the finest makers. Seldom found in this completely unmolested condition. 

MANTON

Joseph Brother of John. Born 1766. Served as apprentice with brother. His new method of rifling cannon and loading (with cup wads) tried but not adopted by Ordnance, 1790. Gunmaker, 25 Davies St., 1793-1807; 24-5 Davies St., 1808-10; 27 Davies St., 1811-18; 11 Hanover Sq., 1819-26; 315 Oxford St., 1820-6. Two workshops at 25 St. Davids St., Bankrupt, 1826. New business, Marylebone Park House, New Rd., 1827-8. Imprisoned for debt, 1828-9. Gunmaker to East India Co., 1796-9. Gunmaker-in-Ordinary to George IV, 1820. ’The greatest artist in fire-arms that ever the world produced’.

Dimensions:

Bore: 40 Bore 

Barrel Length: 9.85 Inches (25 cm)

Overall Length: 14.56 Inches (37 cm)