May 17, 2022 Early Arms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/17/2022
An extremely rare and unusual pair of carbine-pistols by this leading London maker, each pistol complete with a pair of interchangeable barrels: one being 9 - 1/4" long and the other 14" with a 4 - 1/2" under-rib and double-collared ramrod pipe. All four barrels are key-fastened, swamped octagonal barrels of .507 bore, with steel, dovetailed bead front sights, and U-notch rear sights set on the false breeches. There are bands of circular beading on the barrels and false breeches at junctures with outer border of dog-tooth work. The barrels are engraved on the top flats “Wogdon London”, while the bottom flats bear the maker’s touchmark “RW” between the stamped view and proof marks of the London Gunmaker’s Company. The beveled, flat locks have double-line edging, are furnished with safety bolts, and have internal hammer screws; both are engraved “Wogdon” beneath the pans and have set triggers. The furniture is all polished iron, the trigger guards with flanged bows and acorn finials. The butts have a pronounced drop and tapering side flats and each is fitted with an oval, slotted-iron mount for the detachable shoulder-stock. One mount has an oval cover engraved with the initials “WW.” Of the three original ramrods, two (one long and one short) are wooden with horn tips, while the other long one is furnished with a German silver powder measure tip and steel worm tail. The detachable or “shifting” shoulder-stock, of matching English walnut to the stock, has an iron socket-plate screwed to its front and a steel sling-swivel at the heel of the butt. The “boot shape” form of which is the same which Henry Nock produced for the Pattern 1793 Horse Artillery Double-barreled Pistol-Carbines. Robert Wogdon is one of the most famous English pistol makers of the 18th century, noted for his fine dueling pistols. He was apprenticed in Edward Newton in 1748, made free in 1756 and was setup at Charing Cross, London that year. He later relocated to Haymarket and worked there from 1774-1802. With John Barton, he traded as Wogdon & Barton from 1794 until succeeded by the latter in 1803, dying the following year. The poem “Stanzas on Duelling” published in 1783 opens with “Hail Wogdon! Patron of that Leaden death….” CONDITION: The barrels were originally browned, but now bright finished. One ramrod, as before noted, has been missing since at least 1964. The engraving work remains sharp and crisp, the set triggers and lock mechanisms are crisp and in very good working order (except one of the latter does not hold half-cock well). PROVENANCE: Listed as item 408 in Catalog 21 of Jackson Arms in 1964; thence to private collection; sold as lot 2547 at James Julia Spring 2011 Sale; private collection. Literature: This pair is illustrated and discussed at length in O’Sullivan and Bailey’s seminal book, “Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmakers, 1764-1819” (2019) on pp. 81, 87, 112-114, and 219.
Barrel Length
(A) 14" (B) 9 - 1/4"
Caliber/Bore
(A) .52 Smoothbore (B) .51 Smoothbore
Manufacturer
(BOTH) Wogdon