wogdon and barton dueling pistols

The wedge and wrist escutcheons are silver, and the latter have a monogram that appears to be the initials "LD." (17.1 cm); Wt. One of a pair of silver-mounted duelling pistols, hallmarked 1776, with the first recorded use of the helmet and falchion side-plate. Mary Eleanor Bowes was the richest heiress in England at that time. The barrels were given a blued or browned finish to reduce glare. [3], In continental Europe, the use of smooth-bored pistols was considered cowardly, and rifled pistols were the norm. Duelling pistols are often single-shot flintlock or percussion black-powder pistols which fire a lead ball. This supremely elegant target pistol is among their most accomplished work. "British Flintlock Dueling Pistol by Wogdon (AH6306) . Tragically, on 21 November 1801, Churchs Wogdon pistols were used in a duel between Hamiltons eldest son, Philip, and George Eaker, a Jefferson supporter who had publicly made insulting remarks about Alexander Hamilton. One of the most common varieties was having a set number of paces walked off and the positions marked in advance. 20002023 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Lot 81: This historic pair of silver mounted H.W. A fine duelling pistol by one of the best makers, in good condition, Robert Wogdon was apprenticed to Edward Newton of Grantham, Lincolnshire in 1748. He died on September 14, 1836, a poor and broken man, on the same day that the divorce was finalized. 4.8 oz. During the late 19th and the early 20th centuries, duelling became a sport in which shooters fired at each other using non-lethal rounds. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. Robert Wogdon, a gunmaker most famous for his dueling pistols, partnered with John Barton late in his career. 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. One of a pair of silver-mounted duelling pistols, the earliest Wogdon set with silver by Michael Barnett, registered on 29 June 1781. 0.8 oz. Famous for duelling pistols. 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. Hosted and Maintained by TwoPointZero IT. Hamilton was morally and religiously opposed to dueling and is widely believed to have intended to delope (throw away his shot) rather than aim at Burr. The Burr-Hamilton duel pistols were originally in a very similar configuration to this pair. Thereafter they quickly took over and after 1785 it was rare for a sword duel to be fought in London. Robert Wogdon made many and varied firearms pocket and livery pistols, double-barrelled pistols, sporting guns and rifles, carbines and blunderbusses but he was most renowned for his duelling pistols. 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. Gunmaker John Rigby indicated this was done by Wogdon to try to remedy the fact that duelists often fired high and missed their mark, but in reality bending the bore down would not have helped, and shooting high could have been more easily remedied by different height sights. His pistols were so well known that "Stanzas on Duelling Inscribed to Wogdon, the Celebrated Pistol-Maker" from 1782 starts with the lines "Hail Wogdon! Starting in 1795 to 1803, he operated with a partner, John Barton, as Wogdon & Barton so this pistol is 1795 or earlier. Colonel Lennox would have faced a real dilemma over this incident. A pair of duels in the early 19th century in America have done much to fix Wogdons name in American memory. (36.9 g); bullet mould (d): L. 4 13/16 (12.2 cm); Cal. The plot was foiled, but he was acquitted. The finest London firearms made in the classic British style of the early nineteenth century rank among the most stately and innovative in the history of gunmaking. Hamilton had opposed Burrs political campaigns since the 1790s, and letters were published indicating Hamilton at a dinner expressed his opposition to Burr politically, called him a dangerous man, and held a still more despicable opinion of Burr. Nonetheless, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel to repair his reputation. Until the mid-18th century, duels were typically fought with swords. Colonel Lennox fired and the ball grazed one of his Royal Highness curls. This is an edited extract from Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmakers 1764-1819, price 75, published by Bonhams. Fate or divine intervention was a key aspect of the origins of dueling. Where neither principal owned a pistol, then a pair might be produced to be shared. His Royal Highness replied he should say nothing, after which all parties left the ground. WOGDON & BARTON. In some situations, the duelist who had already fired was also supposed to keep advancing until the opponent had fired. Flintlock Target Pistol of Prince William Frederick, Second Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (17761834), with Case and Accessories, Gunsmith: 15". However, there is rarely any information as to the type, ownership or maker of the pistols used. This nice single dueling flintlock pistol by a very well known maker is ready for your English flintlock pistol collection. It is now half-stocked with a silver fore-end and a rounded, chequered butt with spurred trigger-guard. Exactly what happened next has been debated and veiled in mystery ever since. The Burr and Hamilton Duel at Weehawken, New Jersey, July 11, 1804 [7] The name Wogden in particular became associated with duelling pistols, to the extent that a duel was sometimes referred to by lawyers as a "Wogden Case". Like that pair, these pistols have "concealed" single set triggers, a standard feature of their pistols rather than a secret designed to give one duelist an advantage over the other. 181520", "THE TAMING OF THE DUEL: MASCULINITY, HONOUR AND RITUAL VIOLENCE IN LONDON, 16601800", "www.exetermemories.co.uk/EM/_events/last_duel.php", "Material Culture and Military History: Test-Firing Early Modern Small Arms", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Duelling_pistol&oldid=1132214902, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 7 January 2023, at 20:30. Generally, if both duelists fired without effect, the challenger could declare himself satisfied or demand another exchange. There's a lot going on in this escutcheon! Holster pistols, or horse pistols were used on horseback and carried in pairs in a leather holster slung across a horse's saddle. Flints. 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. Its long barrel, measuring nearly twelve inches in length, indicates its intended use for targets. E ach pistol with 10 inch rebrowned sighted octagonal barrel inscribed 'Wogdon & Barton London' on the top flat, gold lined touch hole, foliate engraved tang incorporating the rear sight, flat bevel edged signed lock with stepped tail and sliding safety, set trigger, figured walnut full stock, swelling flat sided butt, engraved iron furniture Lot 1275: Cased Pair of Griffin & Tow flintlock dueling pistols circa 1780. Contrary to popular belief, duelling pistols were made as a cased pair, not to provide a weapon for each adversary but rather so each adversary could have a second pistol if a second shot was required. Mary had already filed for divorce, unheard of in 18th-century England, and this only added to her notoriety. 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. Hamilton did not elaborate but indicated his remarks were political, not personal, which would imply that Burrs honor had not been drawn into question. This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. "Loan Exhibition of European Arms and Armor," August 3September 27, 1931, no. Wogdon retired in 1803 and died in 1813. Pistol Kits; Chemicals and Compounds. Both pistols have their original iron-tipped ramrods with an attached worm at the end. By candlelight it was obvious that Stoney had been seriously injured with three stab wounds to the chest. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/29592. 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. SOLD. Pistols with rifled barrels spin-stabilize the shot when it is fired, resulting in much improved accuracy. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Then Eacker raised his pistol and shot Hamilton above the hip. [2] The name Wogdon became synonymous with dueling, to the extent that duels in England were sometimes referred to as "a Wogdon affair". The barrels on earlier guns were cylindrical, while later ones tended to be octagonal. His father told him to fire to miss, known as deloping, rather than take a mans life. The hooks or spurs on the trigger guard can be used with your middle finger to help steady the pistol. Collectors Firearms, LLC. In 1801, young Philip Hamilton, son of founding father Alexander Hamilton, and his friend and theater manager Stephen Price challenged New York City attorney George Eacker to a duel after confronting Eacker about a Independence Day speech he had given critical of Alexander Hamilton. They, and the cocks, have raised decorative edges. 0.00. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. The hard part would have been shooting both accurately and quickly with your life on the line. The various component parts of these firearms were individually produced under the direction of a master gunmaker by highly specialized craftsmen, including a lock smith, barrel forger, stocker, and engraver. The butt cap and trigger guard are polished bright. 0.00. "Pair of Wogdon & Barton Flintlock Dueling Pistols (AH6322)" for sale online. Design [ edit] Special care was taken when moulding the lead bullets to ensure that there were no voids which would affect accuracy. [5] These gave the person using them an advantage over their opponent by reducing the amount of finger pressure required to fire the pistol, which greatly increased accuracy of the shot. Certainly during his working life he was referred to as the celebrated Wogdon and also, he [Wogdon] is a famous man for making pistols. There are currently no customer product questions on this lot. The Faur Le Page company of France made special pistols for sport duelling. Bentham concluded that Burr was little better than a murderer. Dueling pistol makers continued to innovate through the end of the flintlock era and into the percussion era. "The Best Damn Gunshop in the World" Mechanically fine. Other Materials. 0.00. Tools for wood. Steel and Brass Section, Rod and Sheet. Both parties presented and fired in succession. Compounds and Solutions for Metals. Pistols with calibers of 0.45in (11mm), 0.52in (13mm), 0.58in (15mm) or even 0.65in (17mm) were common. As the smoke cleared, Alexander Hamilton lay mortally wounded. The actions on both pistols function correctly. Burr, with his political prospects already fading, demanded an explanation of what Hamilton had said about him, and a series of notes were exchanged. (14.2 g); case (g): H. 2 5/8 in. But if the first to fire missed, he was required to stand still and wait for his opponent's shot. More Info. With re-browned swamped octagonal sighted barrel (bore pitted) with crudely refreshed signature along the top flat and line of beadwork at the rear, silver fore-sight, border engraved tang with back-sight and decorated with a shell and foliage, signed detented flat . The name of one gunmaker recurs repeatedly in tales of the most infamous duels Robert Wogdon, says John O'Sullivan and De Witt Bailey, in this edited extract from Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmkaers 1764-1819. 7 oz. [18] For an eye-witness account of such a duel, see Reynolds (1839).[14]. He was dead within thirty-six hours. Thus, firing too early might make you more likely to miss and have to risk being shot at from a shorter range. Robert Wogdon and John Barton operated at 14 Haymarket, London, from 1795 to 1803. His pistols were so well known that "Stanzas on Duelling Inscribed to Wogdon, the Celebrated Pistol-Maker" from 1782 starts with the lines "Hail Wogdon! Whatever the eventual outcome, it was the expected duty of both the parties seconds to record faithfully all details of the duel, from the original insult, the issuing of the challenge to the eventual outcome. When General Hamilton arrived, the seconds measured out the distance, 10 full paces, and cast lots for the choice of position. Gunmaker at Mr. Maws haberdashers, Cockspur St., Charing Cross, 1764. Forging damascus steel barrels the rarest of skills, The Fields bucket list for a sporting year, Seasons greetings a love letter to postage stamps. Gunsmith John Barton British. He was, at his death, described by his long-term friend, surgeon Jesse Foot, who had attended his duelling injuries 33 years earlier, as a villain to the backbone cowardly, insidious, hypocritical, tyrannic, mean, violent, selfish, jealous, revengeful, inhuman and savage without a counterveiling quality. (41 cm); L. of barrel 11 15/16 in. 0.00. (17.1 cm); Wt. From about 1790 firearms were generally fitted with mahogany cases, whose interiors were lined with green baize (woolen cloth) and subdivided into discrete compartments for the weapon, tools, and accessories. The Duke did not return fire. Very good with more than half of the period refurbished brown, distinct Damascus patterns, and bright gold vent on the barrel; mottled silver-gray patina on the lock, gray and brown patina on the iron furniture, dark aged patina on the silver, replaced ramrod shaft, minor oxidation/pitting, and general mild wear. (30.3 cm); Cal. Scroll left to view more. Its long barrel, measuring nearly twelve inches in length, indicates its intended use for targets. Nonetheless, smoothbore dueling pistols, generally around 28 bore (.54 caliber), were the weapons of choice by the late 18th century. Description The barrels are 10 octagonal, sighted, browned twist with bore size of .476 and scratch rifled. 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. His pistols had now reached a level of perfect proportions and balance, and had a simple elegance that could hardly be improved. Deloping was technically against most dueling codes as it implied the matter was not actually serious enough for an exchange of gunfire, but it wasnt uncommon. (14.2 g); case (g): H. 2 5/8 in. Lot 3248 in the upcoming August 26-28 Premier Auction: A classic pair of Wogdon dueling pistols from circa 1780. With dueling pistols, Hollywood loves to show to adversaries starting back to back and walking off a set number of paces before turning to fire. This rare public showing marked the first time these pistols have been displayed in Washington, D.C. For this reason, very few duels can now be confidently identified as those in which Wogdon pistols were used. Often the duelists would each select one pistol from a cased pair, but in some duels they would each use one of their own, and if a second round of fire was demanded they could use the other. The Mantons, Griffin & Tow, H.W. Swords or dueling pistols were standard, but rifles and other firearms were also used in rarer instances, and, in theory, duels could be fought with any agreed upon weapons under just about any terms, even in hot air balloons with blunderbusses over Paris. Finally, a published letter made reference to a particularly despicable opinion Hamilton had expressed about Burr. Ref: 582. Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. Wogdon & Barton (British, London 17951803), Gunsmith: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Again, the affair began with politics. No details as to the pistol used by the Duke of York have so far been found. Haymarket, 1774-1802. Duelling pistols have long and heavy barrels - the added weight helped steady aim and reduce recoil. He left no records and never used serial numbers on his guns. RM W570AE - Case with Dueling Pistols A Cased Pair of Pistols, Reputedly Owned by Napoleon Pair of pistols Cassette with couple of pistols and accessories belonging to Napoleon I, Casket in which a couple of pistols together with all supplies. A Continental Pin Fire Revolver. 15"". Remarkable design and engineering continues to mark out the British gun trade. By the time duelling with pistols had superseded duelling with swords in the early 1770s, the purpose had shifted from wounding or killing your opponent to demonstrating that, as a man of honour, you were prepared to risk your life to defend your reputation, or that of your family or your regiment. SUBSCRIBE today for our lowest ever deal, SIX ISSUES for JUST 6 by clicking on THIS link. The Most Famous Set of Dueling Pistols - Wogdon & Barton Until the building's demolition in 2019, you could view the most famous set of dueling pistols in history on display at the former JPMorgan Chase Tower, at 270 Park Avenue, NY, New York. Patron of that Leaden death!" Whether it was in this form when used by Colonel Lennox in the 1789 duel, or still in its original full stocked form, is unknown. More has been written about this duel than any other in American history.