LONDON PROOF AND SILVER HALLMARKS FOR 1788, MAKERS MARK OF MICHAEL BARNETT

with octagonal swamped sighted polygroove-rifled barrels signed in block capitals and fitted with standing back-sights with elaborate urn-shaped finials, engraved with a band of foliage at the breeches, gold-lined vents, engraved tangs decorated with a symmetrical design of thistles, engraved stepped bevelled locks decorated with foliage on the tails, signed on a scroll carried by a spray of thistle foliage beneath the gold-lined pans, fitted with bevelled cocks (one neck cracked), sliding bolt safety-catches, rollers engraved with thistles en suite and fitted with steels, set triggers retaining some blued finish, figured walnut half-stocks, finely chequered butts, full engraved silver mounts comprising spurred pommels and flush-fitting side-plates decorated with thistles, trigger-guards with elaborate pineapple finials (fitted with spurs in their early working life), escutcheons engraved with the owner’s crest, a falcon’s head above the initials ‘JM’, rear ramrod-pipe, barrel bolt escutcheon and steel forward ramrod-pipe, early ramrods, probably original, comprising one with horn tip and iron worm and the other with iron tip incorporating a powder measure, and some early finish, 28.5 cm (2)

Provenance

Robin Wiginton, Arbour Antiques, 21st March 2001

Harvey Walklate Mortimer (1753-1819), was appointed Gunmaker to George III, 1783, contractor to the East India Company, 1796 – 1806, and specialised in repeating pistols and gold-mounted guns for the Eastern market. He advertised “For the Inspection of the Curious, just finished, Three Pair of Elegant Pistols, mounted in solid gold value 547£ intended as a present to a foreign Prince”, in the Morning Herald, 20th August 1784. He made gold mounted firearms set with diamonds for the U.S. Government as presents for Bey of Tunis, 1801–2.