LONDON MODEL 1688
I HAVE IN A DISPLAY CASE TWO SMALL PISTOLS A MAN GAVE ME ABOUT THIRTY YEARS AGO. INFO. ON THE GUNS SAY DEALTRY AND LONDON MODEL 1688 THOMAS JEFERSON PISTOL. COULD YOU GIVE ME ANY BACK GROUND ON THESE GUNS AND A ROUGH PRICE. THANKS, RAY
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Hello Ray,
You are going to have to give us a complete description of your pistols, including any markings or proof marks, type of locks (flintlock, matchlock)size of the bore, length and shape of the barrel and anything else you can think of.
As a collector, I don't recall any English model of 1688. However, it could be a civilian pistol dated 1688.
I don't understand the reference to Thomas Jeferson, because if these pistols were really made in 1688, that would be almost 70 years before Jeferson was born.
While you gather information on the pistols, I will check my references for the maker Dealtry.
All the best,
Scout0 -
THANKS, THEY ARE FLINTLOCKS AND THE BARRELS SCREW OFF.RAY 0 -
OK,
That is a start. Flintlock pistols with screw off barrels are called "Queen Ann" pistols. These are usually box lock actions rather then side lock actions. This leaves out any military pistols as the military never used them. Most Queen Ann pistols are small pocket type pistols of large caliber. Do you have the "key" that is used to unscrew the barrels?
Now that wasn't so hard, so why don't you give us the rest of the markings on these pistols or post a photo of them?0 -
Seems like time to start getting this on track. Yes pictures are a necessity as well as overall length, size of bore, etc. Queen Anne type is not a small pocket pistol. It will be 8" or larger in overall length, rather heavy, with side mounted hammer, pan and frizzen, "turnoff" or screw barrel as previously described. Queen Anne types were the highest type of pistol in their time from maybe 1690 thru most of the 1700s and almost all English made. All that I have seen (quite a few) were well decorated with silver wire inlay in the wood and silver butt cap plus other silver furniture. Only one have I seen mounted in brass. Late in the 1700s small "turnoff" pocket pistols become popular. These had the aforementioned box lock in which the hammer mechanism is center mounted on top of the box or frame. Some were finely made and decorated, engraved, and marked by famous English makers but most were plain and many of average to poor quality. Most English but many, unmarked, were European made. Sometimes referred to as 'muff pistols' but certainly not to be confused with 'Queen Anne'. Hope this helps.
Been there - Done that!0 -
I agree that it is about time to get this topic on track. RHMC24 is correct that these pistols are usually highly decorated and that they were most popular in England. However, they were made and used through out Europe. Now, RHMC24 missed the operative words "usually" and "most". I agree that a number of "Queen Ann" pistols are large, side lock arms with barrels as long as 5"-6". However, there are just as many that have barrels as short as 2-1/4" and with the box lock. "SARAH" stated that the pistols in question were small, therefore I approached the subject from that angle. I would suggest checking out the Richard Wallace collection as well as the collections of Gene Miller, Warren Moore and George Neumann for examples of short barreled Queen Ann pistols. 0 -
The following should bring up an illustration sinilar to a Queen Anne type. http://collectorsfirearms.com/ah132.htm This one is not English and is all metal. The true QA will have a wood grip and a silver butt cap. 0 -
This will bring up a more or less typical 'box lock' type.
http://collectorsfirearms.com/ah1229.htm
It is English, good quality, showing the aforementioned 'key' or 'spanner' used to turn the barrel off or on.0 -
Check out Item No. 26613895 0 -
Here is the URL for the above check out recco
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=26613895
These are typical box lock pistols, nice quality reproduction.0
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