$4950
John Forbes of Liverpool Sawhandle Smoothbore Adjustable Trigger .62 Calibre Percussion Conversion Fine Antique Dueling PistolHowdy Townpost! I have a truly amazing one of a kind piece here for sale. I bought this for myself in the US over a year ago and I had it professionally restored and fully repaired. I am now looking to sell it.
John Forbes, of Liverpool, was gunmaker to His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, later King George IV. And according to my research made mostly dueling and target pistols, and some small pocket pistols for only 5 years. Those years being 1805-1810. He spelt his name with I or Iohn and later switched the spelling to a J or John based on public records and some of the other examples of his dueling pistols that have sold at auction.
That makes this a very rare and finely made pistol. This pistol would have cost a small fortune at the time it was made. Oftentimes dueling pistols come in pairs but it was cheaper to buy just one if they were offered as a single, and should you encounter someone who has insulted your honor and you demand satisfaction from them, they can bring their own pistol to the duel.
The engraving is extremely fine, intricate and skilled. It would have taken many dozens of hours to complete and it was all done by hand. The engraving features drums, banners and spears, floral patterns, sunbursts on the base plate and lock, and a pineapple in the front of the trigger guard, which symbolizes wealth and status. Because this gun is a percussion conversion of the original flintlock mechanism the percussion hammer is engraved in a different style by a different engraver in a more simple floral and fish mouth style of engraving with gold inlay. Every screw is engraved to look like a flower and the escutcheons are also each engraved like a wreath. Overall there is a lot of fine detail with some simpler and less detailed later additions on the percussion mechanism and one spot on the side plate.
The gun features gold inlay on the hammer which largely worn away. There is silver inlay on the outside of the breach, and a sterling silver wreath styled band wrapped around the base of the grip and a sliver bead front sight. The ramrod tip (which is a replacement) is silver plated brass, so too are the front stock cap near the muzzle, the rod pipe, cross key, and escutcheon around it are too. The grip baseplate is silver plated steel.
The workmanship of this pistol is certainly of a quality of gunmaker worthy enough of being the gun maker of the Prince of Wales.
The pistol is located in Calgary AB for local delivery or pickup. Or I can ship it too.
categories:Sporting GoodsGuns
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Calgary, AB1 week ago
