Page 192 - 4096-FLIPBOOK3

LOT 3281
Highly Attractive Well-Documented Pair of 1747 Dated Engraved T. Richards
Marked Brass Barreled Flintlock Blunderbusses Inscribed to William Palling of
Brownshill as Pictured in “Great British Gunmakers 1740-1790” by Neal and Back
-A) T. Richards Brass Barreled Flintlock Blunderbuss - NSN, 1 bore gauge, 24 inch
round bbl., bright/brass finish, walnut stock. Manufactured c. 1747, this is an incredible,
very scarce, and massive pair of brass barreled blunderbusses made by T. Richards of
Birmingham for the English country gentleman William Palling of Brownshill. One of this
extraordinary pair is shown in pls. 456 and 457 of “Great British Gunmakers 1740-1790” by
Neal and Back, where they note the “humped” breeches of the barrels. This pair are further
discussed in the same book in a section detailing the Palling collection on p. 118-120,
where it is noted that the collection contained two pairs of dated blunderbusses by the
same maker, this pair dated 1747 and another dated 1753. The authors further note that
these massive blunderbusses were sometimes carried by tollhouse-keepers or in banks,
where their mere size was a deterrent against criminals. William Palling was a country squire
from Gloucestershire who appears to have acquired his family’s Brownshill Court country
home, which had been built by his father (also William Palling) around 1665. The younger
Palling is known for having assembled an impressive collection of around eighty guns,
pistols and blunderbusses at the home before his death in 1753, another two of which can
be found in the following two lots of this auction. This particular pair is nearly identical in
almost every aspect apart from a few slight differences. Both of the locks show attractive
floral scroll engraving and are marked “T/RICHARDS” near the center of the plates. The
barrels both have a series of three Birmingham proofs on the upper left, the pronounced
“hump” near the breeches, a wedding band near the center, and large flourishes of
scrollwork on the top of the barrels near the breech. The muzzles flare to approximately
2 1/8 inches and the true gauge is estimated at approximately 1 bore. Dark hardwood
ramrods are fitted under both of the barrels and tipped with copper plates. The remaining
furniture is brass, showing attractive engraving that is very close to identical between the
two pieces. Both of the buttplates are inscribed “William Palling/Brownshill/1747”. Both
have primarily smooth full-stocks with some light carving at the tail of the flats, while the
most notable difference between the two is the carving around the breech plug tang, both
having slightly different “fish-tail” shapes. They both also have blank brass thumbplates on
top of the wrists.
CONDITION: Very fine, the iron showing mostly grey patina with some scattered light
pitting, attractively aged brass with some scattered minor dings, and the engraving remains
well-defined overall. The restored wood is fine with a discreet repair in the right of the
buttstock and scattered minor dings/scratches. Mechanically functions.
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