Page 185 - 4096-FLIPBOOK3

LOT 3268
Well-Documented, Rare, and Highly Desirable Cased Pair of Silver
Mounted, Gold Inlaid, and Engraved Robert Wogdon Flintlock
Dueling Pistols Featured on the Cover of “London Gunmakers
and the English Duelling Pistol 1770-1830” by Dill and Described
as “Representative of Wogdon’s Best Work” -A) Wogdon Dueling
Pistol - NSN, 55 cal., 10 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/gold/
silver finish, walnut stock. Robert Wogdon (1734-1813) remains arguably
the most renowned of the English dueling pistol makers and specialized
in them unlike many of London’s other leading gunmakers who made
a wide variety of firearms. His pistols were so widely used that a duel
was also known as a “Wogdon affair,” and the poem “Stanzas on Duelling
Inscribed to Wogdon, the Celebrated Pistol-Maker” from 1782 starts with
the lines “Hail Wogdon! Patron of that Leaden death!” A pair of Wogdon
& Barton pistols were famously used in the Burr-Hamilton duel further
cementing his name in history on the western side of the Atlantic. This
pair represents Wogdon’s highest grade pistols. The second
pistol from this pair is shown on the front cover of “London
Gunmakers and the English Duelling Pistol 1770-1830” by Keith
R. Dill, and the cased pair is shown on page 16 in figure 13 along
with the inside of one of the locks in figure 14. The pair is described
by Dill as follows: “These duellers are representative of Wogdon’s best
work. They were produced just after 1790. Complete silver mounts by
Moses Brent included ornate Britannia buttcaps and polygonal shaped
ramrod pipes. There are no wedge ovals on these otherwise heavily silver
mounted pistols. The lock signatures [Wogdon] are engraved in gold
ovals inset into the lock plates. Even at this date Wogdon was still using
a non waterproof pan, acorn trigger guard finials, two bolts to secure the
lock and forward facing cock tips. Notice the leather bag style
of powder flask that fits the narrow center case compartment.
Each pistol weighs 1 lbs 11 ozs and is 14 3/4 inches in length.
The 10 1/8 inch barrels are .55 caliber.” The pistols also have
dovetailed silver blade front sights, fixed notch rear sights,
“Wogdon London” signed on top of the barrels, fine engraving,
gold vent liners, sliding half-cock safeties, pierced scroll and martial
pattern side plates, single set triggers, “M-B” silversmith marks and lion
hallmarks inside the trigger guard bows, and smooth walnut stocks with
flat sided wrists. One ramrod has an iron worm and screw-off powder
measure. The mahogany case has green baize lining, a loading/cleaning
rod, the noted leather powder flask, a double brush, a multi-tool, and a
“32” marked mold.
CONDITION: Very good with bright gold, crisp engraving, light aged
patina on the silver mounts, most of the re-browned finish remaining
on the barrel, gray and brown patina on the balance, and fairly minor
wear including light pitting. The re-oiled stock is also very good and has
scattered minor scratches and dings, small chip on the forend, and crack
in the forend tip. Mechanically excellent. The case and accessories are
also fine with minor age and storage related wear including a crack and
repair to the front left corner of the lid.
B) Wogdon Dueling Pistol - NSN, 55 cal., 10 inch octagon bbl., brown/
casehardened/silver/gold finish, walnut stock. As described in “A”.
CONDITION: Very good with bright gold, crisp engraving, light aged
patina on the silver mounts, most of the re-browned finish remaining on
the barrel, gray and brown patina on the balance, and fairly minor wear
including some light pitting. The re-oiled stock is also very good and has
scattered minor scratches and dings, and small chip/dent on the right
side of the forend. Mechanically excellent. Overall, this is a beautiful pair
of Wogdon pistols and beautifully exemplify the classic English dueling
pistols of the late 18th century.
Provenance: The Keith R. Dill Collection; The Greg Lampe Collection.
Estimate: 25,000 - 37,500
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