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LOT 1282
Exceptional Cased Pair of Factory Engraved Westley Richards Percussion Coat Pistols -A) Westley Richards Percussion Pistol - NSN, 54 cal., 5 1/4 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/ blue/silver finish, walnut stock. These attractive 1830s percussion pistols have smoothbore, Damascus barrels with post front sights, “WESTLEY RICHARDS 170 NEW BOND ST LONDON” on top, and casehardened patent breeches with platinum plugs. The casehardened standing breeches include notch rear sights. The casehardened locks are signed “WESTLEY RICHARDS” and have half-cock safeties. The ramrod pipes and trigger guards are blued. There is scroll and floral engraving. The stocks have checkered bag shaped grips. The wedge and wrist escutcheons are silver. The wrist escutcheons are inscribed “R,” and the case lid is inscribed “J. REYNOLDS ESQ/1838.” While the owner’s identity has not been confirmed, there was a James-Jones Reynolds, Esq. (b. 1779) of Winsford House, Devon, England, as well as Irish immigrant James B. Reynolds (1779-1851) who was a lawyer and U.S. Congressman from Tennessee. The case has a Westley Richards trade label and an “I am Loaded” note (pistols not loaded now) and contains a small powder flask, nipple wrench, powder measure for a larger gun, cap tin, tow, patches, a ball mold, and a cleaning rod.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. 85% plus of the vibrant original case colors remain. The silver has attractive aged patina. The barrel retains 60% plus of the original brown finish and has visible Damascus twist patterns. 60% of the bright original blue finish remains on the trigger guard. There is some light oxidation and smooth gray and brown patina on the faded areas. Wear is mostly limited to handling and storage marks. The stock is excellent and has crisp checkering, smooth finish, and minor scratches and dings. Mechanically excellent. The case and accessories are very fine and have fairly minor age and storage related wear. B) Westley Richards Percussion Pistol - NSN, 54 cal., 5 1/4 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/blue/silver finish, walnut stock. See “A.”
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. 90% plus of the vibrant original case colors remain. The silver has
aged to an attractive dark patina. The barrel retains 80% plus of the original brown finish and has visible Damascus twist patterns and minor oxidation staining. 70% of the original blue finish remains on the trigger guard, and the trigger guard has smooth brown patina. The pistol mostly only has some minor handling and storage marks. The stock is very fine and has crisp checkering, smooth finish, and minor scratches and dings. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
LOT 1283
Scarce Cased Pair of Charles Moore Rifled Percussion Pistols Converted from Pellet-Locks -A) C. Moore Percussion Pistol - Serial no. 1249, 48 cal., 9 3/8 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/blue finish, walnut stock. This pair of pistols were manufactured by Charles Moore of London c. 1825 as pellet-locks based on Westley Richards’ 1821 design and were then adapted for use with percussion caps. A very similar pair with the pellet-lock mechanisms still installed are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Accession Number: 19.53.108a–g). The Damascus barrels are rifled and have dovetailed silver blade front sights, “77 St James Street LONDON” on top, and platinum banded breech plugs with “C MOOR/LONDON/PATENT” platinum maker’s marks. The standing breeches have dovetailed notch rear sights. The locks are marked “C MOORE LONDON” and have border and scroll engraving and The underside of the barrels are marked “C-M”
and “1249.” “EA” and “1249” are marked inside the forends. The serial number
is also repeated on the breech hooks as well as the lower tangs. The latter are also numbered “1” and “2.” The trigger plates have stylized pineapple finials. The stocks have horn forend tips, silver wedge escutcheons, checkered wrists, and silver wrist escutcheons inscribed with a horse over a coronet. The pair comes in a fitted hardwood case with a Charles Moore trade label inside the lid, loading/ cleaning rods, and a three-compartment powder flask.
CONDITION: Very good with strong original case colors towards the center of the lock, strong niter blue on the trigger plate, attractive aged patina on the silver, light pitting along the barrel, gray and brown patina, and generally minor age and storage related wear overall. The stock is fine and has crisp checkering, dings and scratches mainly on the left side, and general mild handling and storage marks. Mechanically excellent. The case and accessories are good and have moderate age and storage related wear including dents in the flask and cracking on the lid. B) C. Moore Percussion Pistol - Serial no. 1249, 48 cal., 9 3/8 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/blue finish, walnut stock. See “A.” CONDITION: Very good with attractive aged patina on the silver, strong original blue on the trigger plate and trigger guard tang, light original brown and Damascus patterns on the barrel, mostly smooth gray and brown patina, some mild pitting along the barrel, a piece of the tail of the safety switch absent, and generally mild age and storage related wear. The stock is also very good and has crisp checkering, some dents and scratches, a thin crack visible at the breech on the left, and handling and mild storage wear. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
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