April 11-13, 2023 Firearms and Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/12/2023
This pair of pistols is photographed and described on pgs. 54-55 of "Early Firearms of Great Britain and Ireland from the collection of Clay P. Bedford", catalogued when Bedford's collection was on display in 1971 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the same-named exhibit. Murdoch is recorded in Stockel as active circa 1750-1812, and working in 1798; he was the last successful Scottish gunmakers. Made as a pair in the iconic Scottish lobe butt form and with all steel construction, signed "I: MURDOCH" in center of locks. Locks with integral rear fence, swan neck cocks, friction frizzens, and unbridled pan covers. Metal is decorated throughout in the normal Scottish foliate and geometric patterns, with accenting engraved bands of silver on underside of action and inlaid in plain triangles at butt. Barrels with fluted area over chambers and sharply swamped at the muzzle, engraved en suite. Original belt hooks engraved at rear. Original silver triggers with engraved roses. Steel ramrods with worms on reverse feed into a long mouth. CONDITION: Excellent, bright metal throughout, with mostly crisp engraving, slightly softened at silver bands and high traffic areas such as butts. Visible brass lines from construction and repair visible at butts and on underside of pistols. Some expected delamination in steel indicative of age, mostly to frizzen springs. Mechanically fine, bores are excellent with very mild oxidation. Murdoch's work is extremely desirable; he is also attributed as the gunmaker for the pair of pistols carried by Pitcairn that some believe opened the Revolutionary War and were later captured by Putnam.
Barrel Length
(BOTH) 7 - 3/4"
Caliber/Bore
(BOTH) .56 Smoothbore
Manufacturer
(BOTH) I. Murdoch