Product Details
W. & J. RIGBY, DUBLIN
A FINE CASED PAIR OF 80-BORE PERCUSSION DOUBLE-BARRELLED TURNOVER POCKET-PISTOLS, serial nos. 9568 & 9569,
for 1846, with round turn-off 1 1/2in. barrels numbered from '1' to '4' respectively, starred muzzles with engraved bands, border and foliate engraved breeches, ribbed nipples, border and scroll engraved boxlock actions signed 'WM & JN RIGBY' in a banner on the left hand side and 'DUBLIN' in a banner on the right, underside with nipple-guard, central fish-scale engraved hammer, border and scroll engraved top-tang, finely chequered slightly flattened semi-birdshead bag-shaped walnut grips, clipped-corner rectangular silver vacant escutcheons to wrists and further vacant oval silver escutcheons to pommels, blued concealed triggers, traces of colour throughout TOGETHER WITH their original rounded corner mahogany travelling case, brass circular milled-edge escutcheon to the lid, the interior lid with Rigby trade label, the base compartmented and lined in green baize with a lift-out section and containing a number of accessories including an ultra rare minature copper and brass mounted three-way flask (small dent to body), turnscrew, nipple-key, scissors ball-mould and the original barrel key
Provenance: The maker's ledger of the period shows that these pistols were built for an H. Pakenham and completed in 1846. Subsequent research by the vendor would indicate that the Pakenham in question was the fifth son of Edward Pakenham, 2nd Baron Longford. The conclusion is speculative but would seem sensible enough.
The 2nd Baron Longford was born April 1743 and married Elizabeth Rowley in 1768. The marriage produced a number of children including General Edward Pakenham who served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula War. He was later appointed commander of British forces in North America in 1814 and was killed in action during the Battle of New Orleans. His sister, Catherine (though commonly known as Kitty Pakenham) married Arthur Wellesley and so became the Duchess of Wellington.
Literature: These fine pistols can be found mentioned and illustrated on page 112 of David Back and Keith Neal's book 'The Great Irish Gunmakers - Rigby'. Since the late Keith Neal used his own photographs from his extensive collection to illustrate the book, it might be reasonable to suppose that these pistols were at one time in his possession.
Estimate £3,000-5,000