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. "British Flintlock Dueling Pistol by Wogdon (AH6306) . (10.5 cm); Wt. A Rare Pair Of 40-Bore Flintlock Overcoat Or Travelling PistolsBy Wogdon & Barton Of London, Circa 1800. Robert Wogdon (British, 17341813), Gunsmith:
Purpose-built duelling pistols have various improvements to make them more reliable and accurate. The Colt Single Action Army revolver and the Winchester Model. A pair of duels in the early 19th century in America have done much to fix Wogdons name in American memory.
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. Tools for metal. 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. Guns International #: 102053710
Seller's Inventory #: AH6322. The sliding-safety locks are marked in script ""Wogdon"" over ""&"" over ""Barton"". The lock, which is bright along with the cock, is marked in script ""Wogdon"". Starting in 1795 to 1803, he operated with a partner, John Barton, as Wogdon & Barton so this pistol is 1795 or earlier. Great Britain and Ireland, 1600-1800 A.D. Patron of that Leaden death. Stoney Bowes, not one to give up easily, appealed against Marys divorce suit but Mary eventually gained her freedom. Two pairs of pistols allowed for a second exchange of shots if both missed and the challenger of the duel was intent on continuing. The actions on both pistols function correctly. Burrs shot had struck him in the ribs and caused serious damage to his organs and left him paralyzed. 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 9 5/8" octagon 64 caliber swamped smooth bore barrel has a fair bore . Robert Wogdon (January 1734 - 28 March 1813) died aged 79 and was buried with his wife Jane (died 15 February 1805, aged 69) in the chancel of St Bartholomew's Church, located on the outskirts of Buntingford, Hertfordshire. One particularly deadly option for a serious dispute was to have both men stand a set number of paces apart, cock and raise their pistols upon command, take aim at another command, and then fire simultaneously upon the final command. More Info. (136.1 g); cleaning rod (c): L. 15 1/2 in. It was requested that the Duke say he considered Colonel Lennox a man of honour and courage. The hooks or spurs on the trigger guard can be used with your middle finger to help steady the pistol. The 10" swamped at the muzzle octagon 67 caliber smooth bore barrels have good bores with light roughness. The stock on gun 2 is fine with no cracks or chips and the dents and dings expected of light to moderate use. As a result, duelling pistols with rifled barrels were considered unsporting by many, although there was no unfairness so long as the pistols were identical. (3.8 cm); Wt. (6.7 cm); W. 17 1/2 in. Burr, with his political prospects already fading, demanded an explanation of what Hamilton had said about him, and a series of notes were exchanged. 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. Given the large number of cased pairs of his duelling pistols that have survived to this day, his production was significant. For example, if God was sure to choose the innocent, then he could guide a ball to the proper target no matter how inaccurate the pistol, but duelists sought out pistols by gunmakers known for reliability and accuracy, and some practiced shooting at targets to ensure their aim was true. Interestingly these pistols look identical to the pistols used in the Burr-Hamilton duel of 1804, including the 'concealed hair triggers' Description The barrels which are gently swamped to the muzzle, are 10.25 octagonal, sighted, browned twist with a smooth bore size of .550. Impact also services the needs of law enforcement and military with our wide variety of tactical weapons and . In addition to the renown quality of his pistols in his own time, Wogdon is arguably the most recognized maker of dueling pistols known today because of the pair used in the famous duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr that ended with Hamilton fatally wounded. The pistols have smoothbore Damascus barrels with gold vent liners, dovetailed silver blade front sights, "Wogdon & Barton London" signed on top, registration markings for County Down in Ireland, engraved borders at the breech, and casehardened standing breeches with fixed notch rear sights and engraving. Wogdon & Barton (founded by Robert Wogdon) was an 18th-century firm of gunsmiths based in London, England. Two shots are believed to have rung out almost simultaneously. 3 lb. In 1797, Alexander Hamilton's brother-in-law, John Baker Church, had obtained an exquisite pair of custom-made dueling pistols made by Wogdon. Hamilton received a .54-caliber wound to the abdomen from an English-made Wogdon & Barton flintlock smoothbore dueling pistol. 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 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. 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 The surviving Lennox pistol used in a duel with the Duke of York. Tools and Accesories. The poem alludes to fate but suggests a duelists destiny lay in Wogdons hand. (1726.5 g), Classification:
The whereabouts of the second Wogdon pistol are unknown. Original Tools. Carried to his Manhattan home, Hamilton lingered in agony, the pistol ball lodged next to his spine. Robert Wogdon and John Barton operated at 14 Haymarket, London, from 1795 to 1803. 4.8 oz. [2] The name Wogdon became synonymous with dueling, to the extent that duels in England were sometimes referred to as "a Wogdon affair". Initially standard holster or travelling pistols were mainly used, but by the end of the century special-purpose duelling pistols were being made by craftsmen in England, France, Germany, Austria, and the United States. 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. More Info. Click Photo to Enlarge Guns International #: 101363115 Seller's Inventory #: 190413 Category Antique Pistols - Flintlock Handguns - European Pistols Seller's Information Two Engraved English Flintlock Pistols -A) Desirable Wogdon & Barton Dueling PistolWogdon dueling pistols are among the most historical and were used in the most famous of all American duels: the Burr-Hamilton affair. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. However, there is rarely any information as to the type, ownership or maker of the pistols used. Pistol (a): L. 16 1/8 in. (42.5 g); screwdriver (e): L. 3 15/16 in. .36 in (9.3 mm); Wt. Scroll left to view more. 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. Colonel Lennox wrote a circular to every member of Daubignys asking whether such words had been used about him and requesting an answer within the next seven days, adding that no reply would be considered equivalent to a declaration that nothing had been said. Philip was mortally wounded, and died in agony the following day. Colonel Burr arrived first. Perhaps the most bizarre duel in which Wogdon pistols were used took place on 13 January 1777 between the Reverend Henry Bate and Andrew Robinson Stoney. Price and Eacker exchanged shots multiple times the following day without injury and considered their affair settled. Remarkable design and engineering continues to mark out the British gun trade. 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. [12], It is often stated that duelling pistols came in identical pairs to put each duellist on an equal footing. He returned shortly before the War of 1812. As the distance closed they could fire at will. [1] The name Wogdon became synonymous with dueling, to the extent that duels in England were sometimes referred to as "a Wogdon affair". 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 . [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. Robert Wogden was one of the preeminent gunsmiths of his era. There was not just a single form for a proper duel. 1.3 oz. (39.4 cm); Wt. One could be excused for not recognising the pistols used in the Hamilton-Burr duel as having been made by the famous Wogdon. Of course if you could hit your opponent first, you might not have to be fired upon at all. 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. Only one of the pair of pistols made by Robert Wogdon that were used in this duel has survived, and is on permanent exhibition at the Museum of London; it presumably belonged to Colonel Lennox. Burr appears to have had no such qualms and had been practicing his marksmanship. By 1780, Wogdon had settled on the final form for his duelling pistols and saw no reason for any . Famous for duelling pistols. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The engraving on the escutcheon merits further research. The barrels on earlier guns were cylindrical, while later ones tended to be octagonal. During the late 19th and the early 20th centuries, duelling became a sport in which shooters fired at each other using non-lethal rounds. Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. The relined case has moderate age and storage related wear. 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. This pair is rifled, something forbidden by the 18th century dueling codes but that became more accepted in the 19th century, especially in continental Europe where it became standard. Wogdon & Barton dueling pistols Wogdon & Barton (founded by Robert Wogdon) was an 18th-century firm of gunsmiths based in London, England. Wogdon's duelling pistols were fitted with set triggers as a standard feature, so they cannot be regarded as "secret" devices that other duellists of the era would be completely unaware of. But you had never gained so great a name, In England had your pistols killed as few." The top center of the oval has what appears to be some kind of bird figure and a sword. 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. Nonetheless, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel to repair his reputation. 1.5 oz. [Note 2] Injuries from such bullets, coupled with the primitive state of emergency medicine at the time when duels were commonplace, meant that pistol duels frequently resulted in fatalities, often some hours or days afterwards. Wogdon made the pistols used in the infamous BurrHamilton duel, which were later claimed to have concealed "hair triggers" (also known as set triggers). Ref: 582. The answer to the question frequently asked of the owners of Wogdon duelling pistols, Were these pistols ever used in a duel? must unfortunately therefore be, We just dont know.. [11] A pair of rifled pistols often included a small hammer or mallet as an accessory; they used slightly oversized bullets and a hammer was needed to drive the bullet down the barrel when loading. Committed to designing and building . The barrels are marked Wogdon & Barton London in script on the top flat. Cased Pair of John Blissett & Son Percussion Dueling Pistols: Lot 332 Four British Prime Ministers have engaged in duels throughout history. 15"". With John Barton traded as Wogdon & Barton, from 1795, succeeded by Barton, 1803. Initially, both men refused to fire. Wogdon had apprenticed to the Irish gunmaker Edward Norton in Lincolnshire. Churchs pair supposedly had concealed set triggers, but in reality, set triggers were a standard feature of these pistols rather than a secret designed to give one duelist an advantage over the other, and that pair simply did not have a visible adjustment screw. This dueling flintlock pistol is by Robert Wogdon (1733-1813), a well-known London gunsmith from Lincolnshire who operated at Haymarket, London, from 1774 to 1802. Dueling as a way to protect one's reputation has long faded from acceptable behavior, but these paired and cased dueling pistols for sale in Rock Island Auction Company's Aug. 26-28 Premier Auction are a fascinating way to recall a different time and a different way of personal conduct. Graceful yet practical and perfectly balanced in the hand, they privilege overall formal quality and flawless mechanical work over applied adornments. A major source of income for Robert Wogdon was the production of duelling pistols, though perhaps significantly he never referred in his invoices to his pistols as being duelling pistols, but were rather a neat pair or brace. Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded. Stoneys dying wish was that Mary would marry him. One of a pair of silver-mounted duelling pistols, the earliest Wogdon set with silver by Michael Barnett, registered on 29 June 1781. Dueling pistol makers continued to innovate through the end of the flintlock era and into the percussion era. 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. .38 in. [18] For an eye-witness account of such a duel, see Reynolds (1839).[14]. The crest and monogram strongly suggest they may have belonged to Wogdons son-in-law, William Butt Jnr. (9.6 mm); Wt. 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! At a meeting three days later of officers of the Coldstream Guards to deliberate on whether Colonel Lennox had behaved as became an officer and gentleman, the officers resolved: It is the opinion of the Coldstream Regiment that Colonel Lennox had behaved with courage but from the peculiar difficulty of his case, not with judgement. Soon afterwards Colonel Lennox resigned his commission in the Duke of Yorks regiment. The Burr and Hamilton Duel at Weehawken, New Jersey, July 11, 1804 Desirable Cased Pair of Engraved Wogdon & Barton Flintlock Dueling Pistols Auction Date: August 28, 2022 Estimated Price: $ 6,500 - $ 9,500 Price Realized: Details A) Wogdon & Barton Dueling Pistol Manufacturer: English Model: Flintlock Pistol Type: Pistol Gauge: 54 Barrel: 10 inch octagon Finish: brown/casehardened/blue Grip: Stock: walnut (1219 g); powder flask (b): H. 4 1/8 in. 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 bow and butt cap also show engraving. Many later pistols have heavier barrels and half-stocks while the early pistols are lighter and full-stocked. Lot 81: This historic pair of silver mounted H.W. (41 cm); L. of barrel 11 15/16 in. 0.5 oz. Duelling pistols are often single-shot flintlock or percussion black-powder pistols which fire a lead ball. 0.8 oz. When his second wife divorced him in 1834, Alexander Hamilton Jr. served as her lawyer. Lot 1278: Cased pair of Walter Adams percussion dueling pistols. The best hunting horse. This time by his father and Vice President Aaron Burr. (42.5 g); screwdriver (e): L. 3 15/16 in. Nonetheless, smoothbore dueling pistols, generally around 28 bore (.54 caliber), were the weapons of choice by the late 18th century. [3][4] Wogdon formed a partnership in 1794 with John Barton, after which their pistols were signed Wogdon and Barton. Flintlock Target Pistol of Prince William Frederick, Second Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (17761834), with Case and Accessories, Gunsmith:
Two discarded Wogdon pistols were discovered. In Britain, the favoured type was for the duellists to stand still at an agreed distance and shoot when given the signal. He carried on his business in Haymarket from 1774 until his retirement in 1802. The name Wogdon or, as it was sometimes recorded, Wogden or Wegden, suggests its origin might have been in some long-forgotten ancient craft or trade, or the name of one of the more than 3,000 lost medieval villages, the names of which have long since disappeared from the map. 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. (44.5 cm); D. 6 3/4 in. The 9 5/8"" octagon 64 caliber swamped smooth bore barrel has a fair bore with pitting. The trigger guard finial is an engraved acorn. 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. 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. Threading and drilling tooling. (14.2 g); case (g): H. 2 5/8 in. The sliding-safety locks are marked in script "Wogdon" over "&" over "Barton". 20002023 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. There are currently no customer product questions on this lot. Click here for more information. [12], Pairs of duelling pistols can be easily confused with holster pistols and travelling pistols. The overall length is approx. 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. The only recorded Wogdon pistol with a brass barrel, hallmarked 1791. [3] Other features were saw handles, platinum-lined touch-holes and hair triggers. If the matter could not be resolved through formal correspondence, the conflict would most commonly be settled with a formal exchange of shots from proper dueling pistols: a Wogdon affair.. [3][4] Wogdon formed a partnership in 1794 with John Barton, after which their pistols were signed Wogdon and Barton. .38 in. The barrels have a decorative band around the breech end. More Info. A duelling pistol is a type of pistol that was manufactured in matching pairs to be used in a duel, when duels were customary. SUBSCRIBE today for our lowest ever deal, SIX ISSUES for JUST 6 by clicking on THIS link. Provenance: The Collection of Joe M. Wanenmacher Jr. Wogdon retired in 1803 and died in 1813. 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:
There is an oval escutcheon at the wrist that has the initials GL and, in very small letters at the top of the arc, ""FOR RIGHT AND REASON"". 15". British, London, Medium:
The Field is the oldest and ultimate sporting journal, covering everything rural types care about since 1853. [15] The rules of the "French method" of duelling required the duellists to begin back-to-back, walk a set number of paces before turning and firing. Thus, firing too early might make you more likely to miss and have to risk being shot at from a shorter range. 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. Certainly during his working life he was referred to as the celebrated Wogdon and also, he [Wogdon] is a famous man for making pistols. The 10"" swamped at the muzzle octagon 67 caliber smooth bore barrels have good bores with light roughness. However, for at least twenty years before the BurrHamilton duel, English duelling pistols by all the top makers had been customarily fitted with set triggers. Compounds and Solutions for Wood. Use your arrow keys to navigate the tabs below, and your tab key to choose an item, Title:
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.