wogdon and barton dueling pistols wogdon and barton dueling pistols

Price: 28,500 Maker: Robert Wogdon Date: circa 1780 Each Pistol with 10 inch browned swamped octagonal barrel signed along the top flat, engraved with a transverse band of beadwork at the rear of the breech and with silver fore sight, case-hardened foliate engraved tang decorated with a band of beadwork in front of the rear sight . The brown damascus style finish is visible in several areas along with scattered dents and manufacturing defects. 0.8 oz. Standard flintlock pistols can have a noticeable delay between pulling the trigger and actually firing the bullet unless precisely tuned. [12], Late model English duelling pistols fired by percussion cap, bearing the Royal Warrant on the case, Earlier English flintlock duelling pistols made by Wogdon & Barton, used in the fatal Burr-Hamilton duel of 1804. .36 in (9.3 mm); Wt. Provenance: The Collection of Joe M. Wanenmacher Jr. Look at any Wogdon duelling pistol, be it one from his early production years in the mid-1770s or one made towards the end of his career when in partnership with John Barton in the early 1800s, and they all have that unmistakable Wogdon style. Literature: For similar examples see Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton by John OSullivan & De Witt Bailey pp 180 185. Like most of the earlier English dueling pistols, this pair has a lighter build. This is an edited extract from Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmakers 1764-1819, price 75, published by Bonhams. 0.00. Some say Hamilton threw away his shot on purpose as he had declared he intended to do privately and then Burr fired, while others suggest Hamilton fired reflexively after being shot. Many later pistols have heavier barrels and half-stocks while the early pistols are lighter and full-stocked. All the metal has a smooth gray-brown patina. One Theophilus Swift was to write a pamphlet on the affair, taking the Dukes side. The emotional trauma that Alexander Hamilton must have suffered three years later, facing Aaron Burr on the same spot where his son had been killed, and with perhaps the same pistol that he himself was now holding, can hardly be imagined. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Lennox replied that he could not consider His Royal Highness as any other than the son of his King. The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can now connect to the most up-to-date data and images for more than 470,000 artworks in The Met collection. 4.8 oz. The Duke did not return fire. (136.1 g); cleaning rod (c): L. 15 1/2 in. These were break action, single-shot weapons that were fitted with a shield in front of the trigger, to protect the hand holding the pistol. The best hunting horse. SOLD. Wogdons guns were designed to be aimed quickly, reliably fire, and shoot true. Reliability was important because if a duellist's pistol failed to fire, he was considered to have taken his shot and was not permitted to re-cock the pistol and try shooting again. Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded. (36.9 g); bullet mould (d): L. 4 13/16 (12.2 cm); Cal. RIAC believes that this website is accessible to the widest possible audience pursuant to the guidelines of the Americans with Disability Act. (22.7 g); glass bottle (f): H. 1 1/2 in. Wogdon made the pistols used in the infamous BurrHamilton duel, which were later claimed to have concealed "hair triggers" (also known as set triggers). Hamilton did not elaborate but indicated his remarks were political, not personal, which would imply that Burrs honor had not been drawn into question. Click Photo to Enlarge Guns International #: 101363115 Seller's Inventory #: 190413 Category Antique Pistols - Flintlock Handguns - European Pistols Seller's Information During his lifetime Wogdons pistols were considered to be of unsurpassed quality and reliability, to the point that they were even sold to clients in North America. Wogdon apprenticed to Edward Newton in 1748, according to Howard Blackmore in Gunmakers of London, 1350-1850. After he finished his apprenticeship, he ran his own shop and then partnered with John Barton in 1795 and retired in 1803. The next day it was Hamiltons turn to face Eacker at ten paces. 14.75"". John OSullivan and De Witt Bailey chart the life and work of the gunmaker known for his duelling pistols in their new book, Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmakers 1764-1819. The seven days having expired and no club member recollecting to have heard such words, Colonel Lennox felt justified in concluding that they were never uttered. The 9 5/8"" octagon 64 caliber swamped smooth bore barrel has a fair bore with pitting. The actions on both pistols function correctly. Colonel Burrs shot struck home and General Hamilton fell almost instantly. The Colt Single Action Army revolver and the Winchester Model. The name Robert Wogdon is one that appears frequently in tales of the most infamous duels. The 10" swamped at the muzzle octagon 67 caliber smooth bore barrels have good bores with light roughness. They go back centuries to trial by combat, also known as the judicial duel. (1726.5 g), Classification: But you had never gained so great a name, In England had your pistols killed as few." Pistols with calibers of 0.45in (11mm), 0.52in (13mm), 0.58in (15mm) or even 0.65in (17mm) were common. Robert Wogdon manufactured the pistols used in the Hamilton-Burr duel, the most famous duel in American history. 14.75"". The locks are signed "Wogdon/&/Barton" and have frizzen rollers, sliding half-cock safeties, and stepped tails. In some duels, the pistols were carefully and identically loaded, and each duellist was offered his choice of the indistinguishable loaded pistols. Bentham concluded that Burr was little better than a murderer. It has an iron blade front sight and standing notch rear sight (these were often used as target pistols) at the breech tang and a gold lined vert. 15"". The plain stepped locks are simply engraved Wogdon, with a plain narrow safety catch. Finally, a published letter made reference to a particularly despicable opinion Hamilton had expressed about Burr. Such alterations would have taken place at some time after it left Wogdons shop. The actions on both pistols function correctly. [2] Stoneys dying wish was that Mary would marry him. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. Very good with more than half of the period refurbished brown, distinct Damascus patterns, and bright gold vent on the barrel; mix of brown and mottled silver-gray patina on the lock, gray and brown patina on the iron furniture, dark aged patina on the silver, mild oxidation/pitting, and generally mild wear overall. Not all fine, antique pairs of pistols are duelling pistols, though they may be called so. Patron of that Leaden death. Holster pistols, or horse pistols were used on horseback and carried in pairs in a leather holster slung across a horse's saddle. The overall length is approx. [6], Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh. Tools and Accesories. Threading and drilling tooling. They resulted in the deaths of two men from an illustrious American family just a few years apart. [15], A further type of duel, known as a barrier duel or a duel volont (at pleasure) had the duellists walk towards each other. By candlelight it was obvious that Stoney had been seriously injured with three stab wounds to the chest. The duelists would take their allotted place and then fire upon a signal from one of the seconds such as the dropping of a handkerchief with a set amount of time to fire after the signal had been given. You can safely challenge a friend to a duel with muzzleloading pistols today by using modern dueling targets that leave only bragging rights on the line. Other Materials. 0.00. His father told him to fire to miss, known as deloping, rather than take a mans life. A pair of duels in the early 19th century in America have done much to fix Wogdons name in American memory. Gunsmith Wogdon & Barton British By 1780, Wogdon had settled on the final form for his duelling pistols and saw no reason for any major changes over the next 23 years. Whether Lennox had used his Wogdons in his duel with Swift is not known. Remarkable design and engineering continues to mark out the British gun trade. Eacker had called the two young men damned rascals.. Pistol Kits; Chemicals and Compounds. This is a very nice pair of dueling pistols by a well-known maker of quality flintlock pistols. He carried on his business in Haymarket from 1774 until his retirement in 1802. The circumstances of the duel began when the Duke of York let it be known, that Colonel Lennox had heard words spoken to him at Daubignys [a gentlemans club] to which no gentleman ought to have submitted. Of course if you could hit your opponent first, you might not have to be fired upon at all. Given the large number of cased pairs of his duelling pistols that have survived to this day, his production was significant. Although their purpose was combat or self-defense, holster pistols were used on occasion to fight duels. The barrels have a decorative band around the breech end. The hard part would have been shooting both accurately and quickly with your life on the line. Forging damascus steel barrels the rarest of skills, The Fields bucket list for a sporting year, Seasons greetings a love letter to postage stamps. Burr was never tried for Hamiltons death, but rather than revive his political career, the duel was its death knell. (42.5 g); screwdriver (e): L. 3 15/16 in. [3][4] Wogdon formed a partnership in 1794 with John Barton, after which their pistols were signed Wogdon and Barton. Instead of firing into the sky or the ground, aiming for a near miss would show seriousness and would appear to any witnesses to have been a legitimate attempt but avoid taking a life. He was only 19 years old. Engraved in gold on the barrel: ARGer DE L'EMPEREUR. Mortimer & Son dueling pistols was presented by the Prince Regent to Spanish rebel Francisco Sayus in 1811 and was later owned by Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen R. Mallory. For example, when the Duke of York was challenged by his nephew Charles Lennox when they were serving in the Coldstream Guards, Lennoxs Wogdon pistols from 12 paces at Wimbledon Common was chosen, and they were to fire upon the signal. It is also only the second pair of Wogdons known with 16-sided barrels. Initially, both men refused to fire. A fine pair of flintlock duelling pistols by the master makers Wogdon and Barton of London, are coming up for auction in the Militaria & Ethnographica Sale at Tennants Auctioneers on 5 th October with an estimate of 14,000 - 18,000 plus buyer's premium. The barrels have a decorative band around the breech end. It is now half-stocked with a silver fore-end and a rounded, chequered butt with spurred trigger-guard. As you can see, hitting a man-sized target with a muzzleloading pistol wouldnt have been particularly difficult. Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. They, and the cocks, have raised decorative edges. Purpose-built duelling pistols have various improvements to make them more reliable and accurate. Their "saw handle" stocks are one of just many designs English gunmakers experimented with in their efforts to create deadly accurate dueling pistols. 12.9 oz. Committed to designing and building . Mortimer, and many other talented English gunmakers certainly manufactured incredibly fine dueling pistols and helped create new innovations in their designs over time, but Wogdon truly specialized in them. [2] The name Wogdon became synonymous with dueling, to the extent that duels in England were sometimes referred to as "a Wogdon affair". The overall length is approx. A discussion of the poem in The Critical Review; or, Annals of Literature from 1782 notes, "The artist to whom these stanzas are inscribed is famous for his skill in making pistols, whose aim is remarkably true" and notes the lines, "No one can tell how short he shall remain, If honour calls and Wogdon bids him die" as among the best in the poem. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments. To this day, debate still rages as to whether Alexander Hamilton deliberately fired high over Burrs head to demonstrate he had no intention of shooting Burr, or whether his pistol prematurely discharged due to the set trigger before he could properly bring his pistol to bear. Lot 3248 in the upcoming August 26-28 Premier Auction: A classic pair of Wogdon dueling pistols from circa 1780. A Scarce Double Barrel Pocket Pistol . The stock on gun 2 is fine with no cracks or chips and the dents and dings expected of light to moderate use. At first glance, the surviving pistol is not immediately recognisable as the work of Robert Wogdon. These types are similar to duelling pistols in that they were muzzle-loading weapons that were sometimes expensively made and sold in matched, cased pairs with a set of accessories. Both pistols have their original iron-tipped ramrods with an attached worm at the end. Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. (10.5 cm); Wt. Duelling pistols are often single-shot flintlock or percussion black-powder pistols which fire a lead ball. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/29592. 0.5 oz. All the metal has a smooth gray-brown patina. Today, those walnut, brass, and gold pistols are located in the headquarters of J.P. Morgan Chase, on 277 Park Avenue in New York City. Stoney demanded Bate reveal the author of these articles; Bate refused and Stoney challenged him to a duel as the Countess of Strathmores champion. 14.75". In some instances multiple rounds were fired without injury. Robert Wogdon, a gunmaker most famous for his dueling pistols, partnered with John Barton late in his career. Design [ edit] (6.7 cm); W. 17 1/2 in. At the time, the Duke of York, second son of the reigning King George III, was Colonel of the Coldstream Guards, and one Charles Lennox, nephew and heir to the Duke of Richmond, was Lieutenant-Colonel of the same regiment. Churchs Wogdon & Barton pistols were used on July 11, 1804, close to where the young Hamilton had been mortally wounded. Impact also services the needs of law enforcement and military with our wide variety of tactical weapons and . The Faur Le Page company of France made special pistols for sport duelling. In some situations, the duelist who had already fired was also supposed to keep advancing until the opponent had fired. "British Flintlock Dueling Pistol by Wogdon (AH6306) . This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Given both men had time to take deliberate aim, neither may walk away unscathed, and the chance of death was high. [3] Other features were saw handles, platinum-lined touch-holes and hair triggers. (30.3 cm); Cal. Upon the signal, they could advance towards one another and choose when to fire. After he forcibly abducted Mary to the north of England, a warrant was issued for Stoney Bowes arrest. Often if one duelist had not fired around the same time, they would not even return fire unless they were seriously at odds with their opponent. The breech plug tangs, butt caps, and trigger guards have decorative engraving. (39.4 cm); Wt. [11] The short range most duels took place at, combined with the accuracy of rifled pistols meant their use substantially increased the chances of a fatality during a duel. For this reason, very few duels can now be confidently identified as those in which Wogdon pistols were used. His pistols had now reached a level of perfect proportions and balance, and had a simple elegance that could hardly be improved. The sliding-safety locks are marked in script "Wogdon" over "&" over "Barton". In the late 18th century and early 19th century in Europe as well as America, if a gentleman, or in rare cases a lady, or someone close to them faced an insult, they were expected to demand a proper apology or satisfaction., To refuse or decline a challenge risked their reputation and being posted as a poltroon (an utter coward). Pistol: wood (walnut), steel, gold, brass, horn; ramrod: wood (walnut), brass, steel; case: wood (mahogany), velvet, brass; powder flask: brass, steel, leather; bullet mold: steel; screwdriver: wood (walnut), brass, steel; cleaning rod: wood (walnut), brass, steel; bottle: glass, Dimensions: This time by his father and Vice President Aaron Burr. These pistols from the National Maritime Museum are engraved Horatio Nelson 1780. Colonel Burr arrived first. Poem, Stanzas on Duelling, by an Irish Volunteer, 1783, began Hail Wogden! Lot 3247: A very desirable cased pair of Wogdon & Barton flintlock dueling pistols from circa 1795-1803. While that is the origin, people clearly had misgivings about whether God would come to their aid in a duel both back in the Middle Ages and in the early modern era. (22.7 g); glass bottle (f): H. 1 1/2 in. Are they bred or made? .36 in (9.3 mm); Wt. More Info. Until the mid-18th century, duels were typically fought with swords. Alternatively, the duelists might exchange shots in turn instead of firing at the same time as was the case in the Laurens-Grimk duel in 1775. .38 in. Famous for duelling pistols. This was a legal proceeding in which a persons guilt or innocence was determined by the outcome of a fight. To order, please call 01666 502200 or email: subscriptions@bonhams.com, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, Luxury stationery: a wonderfully sensuous experience. SUBSCRIBE today for our lowest ever deal, SIX ISSUES for JUST 6 by clicking on THIS link. [21], Pairs of duelling pistols were often supplied in compartmentalised wooden cases along with a powder flask, rods for cleaning and loading, spare flints, spanners and other tools, and a bullet mould. Guns International #: 102054289 Seller's Inventory #: AH6306. Robert Wogdon and John Barton operated at 14 Haymarket, London, from 1795 to 1803. The stock on gun 2 is fine with no cracks or chips and the dents and dings expected of light to moderate use. Robert Wogdon, a gunmaker most famous for his dueling pistols, partnered with John Barton late in his career. The overall length of this pair of flintlock dueling pistols is approx. This emphasis on the purity of form references the Neoclassical style then in vogue. Died aged 79. In 1797, Alexander Hamilton's brother-in-law, John Baker Church, had obtained an exquisite pair of custom-made dueling pistols made by Wogdon. He died the following day. This rare public showing marked the first time these pistols have been displayed in Washington, D.C. (9.6 mm); Wt. Hosted and Maintained by TwoPointZero IT. (3.8 cm); Wt. The 10"" swamped at the muzzle octagon 67 caliber smooth bore barrels have good bores with light roughness. The doctors concluded that Stoneys injuries might well prove fatal. As the challenged party, Hamilton selected Churchs pistols as the weapons.