BY JOHN TWIGG, LONDON, LONDON SILVER HALLMARKS FOR 1763

Details

A Fine Pair Of 22-Bore Silver-Mounted Flintlock Duelling Pistols
By John Twigg, London, London silver hallmarks for 1763
With slightly swamped two-stage barrels (one with traces of original blued finish, the other reblued) each with turned girdle and silver spider fore-sight, the top of each octagonal breech with gold-lined maker's stamp in the Spanish manner, shaped foliate engraved tangs, flat bevelled locks each retained by two side-nails and with stepped tail and first form of signature (one cock repaired, jaw-screws and one steel all expertly replaced), figured walnut full stocks (minor bruising) carved in relief with a shell behind each barrel tang, flat-sided butts, engraved silver trigger-guards with first pattern acorn finial, engraved close-set silver ramrod-pipes, and one original horn-tipped bone ramrod with worm (the other ramrod replaced, one pistol with some areas of pitting), London proof marks, silver maker's mark JA
13¼in. (33.7cm.) (2)

Literature

W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back, Great British Gunmakers 1740-1790, pp. 46-7, 133, plates 95-98 (one pistol only)

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

This is the earliest firmly datable pair of Twigg pistols recorded (the next being two pairs each hallmarked for 1768, respectively in the Royal Armouries, Leeds (inv. nos. XII. 1663/4), and the collection of the Duke of Buccleuch at Boughton House). Their distinctive flat-butted style influenced other makers of duelling pistols, especially Robert Wogdon and John Manton

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