Early British Contact Dragoon Pistol

Lot 33

About Seller

274 Cedar Hill Street
Marlborough, MA 01752
United States

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About Auction

Historic Arms & Militaria by Bonhams Skinner

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Historic Arms & Militaria

By Bonhams Skinner

Oct 29, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-10-29 10:00:00 2021-10-29 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Historic Arms & Militaria https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/skinner/historic-arms-militaria-7693 The William Rose collection features nearly 180 lots of rare and important 17th & 18thc. muskets, bayonets, pistols, swords, powder horns, accoutrements and documents used by British, French, and American forces who served in America's colonial wars and American Revolution. Bonhams Skinner bidsquare@bonhamsskinner.com

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Lot Description

Early British Contact Dragoon Pistol, Godfrey Taylor, c. 1700, bearing strong similarities to what would become the Pattern 1703 pistol, this pistol has a 11 7/8 in., .62 caliber octagon-wedding band-to round barrel with London gun maker proof marks and star over "GT" maker's stamp on left breech flat; unbridled curved convex lock plate with pointed tail and double line engraving around the edge and on the cock, engraved "G/Taylor" below the pan; walnut stock with plateau around the breech plug tang; brass furniture including butt cap with scrolling floral engraving, trigger guard with deep bow with engraved scrolling floral decoration and ball finial with stylized leaf engraving, thumbpiece with scrolling floral engraving, engraved scrolling side plate and single ribbed rammer pipe, wood rammer, all visible assembly numbers match, overall lg. 18 3/4 in.

Literature: This pistol is illustrated and described in Robert Brooker, British Military Pistols and Associated Edged Weapons (Robert Brooker, 2016), p. 71. He misdescribes the maker's mark on the barrel as being a "GT under a crown." The mark on the barrel is clearly a star over "GT" and is documented by Howard Blackmore, Gunmakers of London 1350-1850 (York, Pennsylvania: George Shumway Publisher, 1986), pp. 214-15, as the mark of Godfrey Tailor [Taylor].

Note: DeWitt Bailey, British Board of Ordnance Small Arms Contractors 1689-1840 (North Wales, GB: W.S. Curtis, 1999), p. 67, notes that London gun maker Godfrey Taylor supplied complete arms to the British Board of Ordnance from 1688-1700.

Condition

Condition: Iron with light brown patina and very minor underlying pitting; stock with scattered dings and blemishes, small chip of wood loss at back of lock mortice; cock appears to have an old repair.

Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Skinner Inc. shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.
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