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LOT 1193
Rare Wilkinson & Son Underhammer Percussion Turret Revolver with Matching
Extra Turret - Serial no. 5137, 44 cal., 3 1/2 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened
finish, walnut grips. Wilkinson & Son produced these rare turret revolvers or “wheel pistols”
and revolving long guns in limited numbers in the late 1830s and early 1840s based on
Moses Poole’s patent no. 7286 from 1837. They are highly desirable as rare early revolving firearms and display excellent craftsmanship. These are often labeled as “Cochran” turret revolvers because they are very similar to the American Cochran turret revolvers. The British version includes a trigger guard and has a different top strap latch design. This revolver would have been their 7th example. The smoothbore barrel is Damascus and has a bead front sight and London proof and view marks.
The top strap is marked “WILKINSON/& SON/LONDON” and “7/PATENT/5137” and has fine floral
scroll engraving. The rear sight can be pushed down to free the turret to be manually rotated between shots, and a small button at the rear allows the top strap to be hinged up to remove the
turret. Both turrets are also marked“WILKINSON & SON”and“7/PATENT/5137.”The trigger guard has floral scroll engraving, and the pistol has a manually cocked underhammer. The grip is finely
checkered and has a flared pommel.
CONDITION: Very fine with 80% of the lightly faded original brown finish and distinct Damascus patterns
along the barrel, some flashes of original case colors on the action but primarily light patterns of case colors on
the frame and installed turret, 60% original case colors on the extra turret, 85% plus of the original niter blue finish on the hammer and trigger, crisp engraving and markings, and minor age and storage related wear. The grip is also very fine and has crisp checkering, some nice
figure, a few minor marks and scratches, and smooth oiled finish. Mechanically excellent. This is a rare opportunity to get your hands on a historic early percussion revolver. These Wilkinson & Son turret revolvers are rarely available, especially on this side of the “pond.”
Estimate: 20,000 - 30,000