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. Ref: 582. The breech plug tangs, butt caps, and trigger guards have decorative engraving. Chase Manhattan Bank acquired the pistols in 1930, and they now reside at the National Postal Museum. [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. Tools and Accesories. Finally, a published letter made reference to a particularly despicable opinion Hamilton had expressed about Burr. Holster pistols, or horse pistols were used on horseback and carried in pairs in a leather holster slung across a horse's saddle. Flints. 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. 0.00. 1.5 oz. This emphasis on the purity of form references the Neoclassical style then in vogue. Wogdon made the pistols used in the infamous BurrHamilton duel, which were later claimed to have concealed "hair triggers" (also known as set triggers). The overall length is approx. 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. A Rifled Pocket Pistol by Smith. [7] For some in the eighteenth century, duelling with less-accurate, smooth-bore weapons was preferred as they viewed it as allowing the judgement of God to take a role in deciding the outcome of the encounter. 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. Two shots are believed to have rung out almost simultaneously. The barrels are marked Wogdon & Barton London in script on the top flat. Hamilton, Burr, their seconds, and a doctor met at Heights of Weehawken in New Jersey, a popular but secluded dueling ground, on that fateful July morning. A Rare Pair Of 40-Bore Flintlock Overcoat Or Travelling PistolsBy Wogdon & Barton Of London, Circa 1800. One Theophilus Swift was to write a pamphlet on the affair, taking the Dukes side. Wogdon & Barton (founded by Robert Wogdon) was an 18th-century firm of gunsmiths based in London, England. Are they bred or made? He went perilously close to putting a ball through the dukes head, grazing one of the royal curls an action which would not have improved his military career prospects. 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. Burr, with his political prospects already fading, demanded an explanation of what Hamilton had said about him, and a series of notes were exchanged. Undoubtedly the most famous duel with Wogdon pistols, and certainly the most famous pistol duel in the United States, took place on 11 July 1804 at Weehawken, New Jersey, between the former Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, and the sitting Vice-President of the United States, Aaron Burr. The events that culminated in the duel were the result of several years of simmering political differences and antagonism. Such alterations would have taken place at some time after it left Wogdons shop. [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. The brown damascus style finish is . [3] Other features were saw handles, platinum-lined touch-holes and hair triggers. [3] Spurs on the trigger guards began appearing after around 1805 to provide a rest for the middle finger to improve the shooter's grip. Both sets of pistols have single set triggers. 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. Certainly during his working life he was referred to as the celebrated Wogdon and also, he [Wogdon] is a famous man for making pistols. [16][17] The famous fictional duel between Pierre and Dolokhov in the novel War and Peace was of this kind. They resulted in the deaths of two men from an illustrious American family just a few years apart. (30.3 cm); Cal. [3][4] Wogdon formed a partnership in 1794 with John Barton, after which their pistols were signed Wogdon and Barton. Click Photo to Enlarge Guns International #: 101363115 Seller's Inventory #: 190413 Category Antique Pistols - Flintlock Handguns - European Pistols Seller's Information Since the 1800s, explorers and dangerous game hunters navigating the African bush have trusted their lives to the double rifle. 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. (17.1 cm); Wt. WOGDON & BARTON. This is famously represented in the book and film The Last Duel. Scroll left to view more. There are currently no customer product questions on this lot. As you can see, hitting a man-sized target with a muzzleloading pistol wouldnt have been particularly difficult. This time by his father and Vice President Aaron Burr. Burrs shot had struck him in the ribs and caused serious damage to his organs and left him paralyzed. One of a pair of silver-mounted duelling pistols, the earliest Wogdon set with silver by Michael Barnett, registered on 29 June 1781. 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. Starting in 1795 to 1803, he operated with a partner, John Barton, as Wogdon & Barton so this pistol is 1795 or earlier. [12], Pairs of duelling pistols can be easily confused with holster pistols and travelling pistols. 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. 37.154.3ag. He then fled to Europe where he continued to conspire to steal land in the West. When his second wife divorced him in 1834, Alexander Hamilton Jr. served as her lawyer. The Mantons, Griffin & Tow, H.W. He formally called upon the Duke either to give up the name of his false informant or afford him satisfaction. If Hamilton were to admit to Burrs charge, which was substantially true, he would lose his honour. 1.3 oz. Robert Wogdon & John Barton Gunmakers, 14 Haymarket, 1795-1803. The barrels are marked Wogdon & Barton London in script on the top flat. (6.7 cm); W. 17 1/2 in. Geoff Walker trading as The Flintlock Collection - All Rights Reserved 4.8 oz. (30.3 cm); Cal. [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. Not surprisingly, the few duels in which Wogdons pistols were known to have been used took place between opponents who were well-known public figures. 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 overall length is approx. 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. The bow and butt cap also show engraving. 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. That may have been one option, but it doesnt appear to have been common. Travelling pistols, also known as overcoat pistols, were intended for use by travellers to protect themselves from highwaymen and footpads; unlike duelling pistols, they were commonly rifled. He was only 19 years old. A duelling pistol is a type of pistol that was manufactured in matching pairs to be used in a duel, when duels were customary. The poem alludes to fate but suggests a duelists destiny lay in Wogdons hand. He is recorded as 'Gunmaker, at Mr. Maw's Haberdasher, Cockspur St., Charing Cross' in 1764. Gunmakers to Bow St. Police, 1801-3. Of course if you could hit your opponent first, you might not have to be fired upon at all. Cobra Firearms is a firearm and accessory manufacturer located in Salt Lake City, UT specializing in American made derringers and handguns that are unique. (22.7 g); glass bottle (f): H. 1 1/2 in. 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. "British Flintlock Dueling Pistol by Wogdon (AH6306) . Pistol (a): L. 16 1/8 in. SCHEELS Compounds and Solutions for Metals. (9.6 mm); Wt. These shots were fired at 25 yards with rapid dueling style aim rather than carefully deliberate aim. As John Norris writes in Pistols at Dawn: A History of Duelling, Wogdons name has unarguably become more closely associated with dueling pistols than any other gunsmith of the period, and has come to epitomize these specialized firearms. As part of, Samuel Brunn (English, London, recorded 17951820), Louis Perrin (French, Paris, active 182365), James Purdey the Elder (British, London 17841863 Margate), J. C. A. Brun (French, Paris, active 184972), Louis Nicolas Auguste Flobert (French, Paris, 18191894). 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. Pistols with rifled barrels spin-stabilize the shot when it is fired, resulting in much improved accuracy. A duelling pistol is a type of pistol that was manufactured in matching pairs to be used in a duel, when duels were customary. SOLD. 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. [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. They have small blade front and fixed notch rear sights. We offer a wide selection of firearms, including: handguns, shotguns, rifles, ammunition, rifle scopes and optics, as well as collectible machine guns and other NFA/Class 3 guns. However, it was acceptable for duels to be fought with different pistols and for each duellist to use their own pair, so they could use weapons they were familiar with. 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. 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. Lennox replied that he could not consider His Royal Highness as any other than the son of his King. [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. 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. Provenance: The Collection of Joe M. Wanenmacher Jr. More Info. 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. (1219 g); powder flask (b): H. 4 1/8 in. Robert Wogdon produced flintlock firearms from the 1760s, and was particularly well known for his high quality duelling pistols. Wogdon made the pistols used in the infamous BurrHamilton duel, which were later claimed to have concealed "hair triggers" (also known as set triggers). Price and Eacker exchanged shots multiple times the following day without injury and considered their affair settled. The stock on gun 1, which is lighter than gun 2, is vey good with no cracks, a chip around the rear barrel key, a small chip at the rear trigger guard attachment pin on the right, and scattered usage dents and dings. This article about a company of the UK is a stub. [18] For an eye-witness account of such a duel, see Reynolds (1839).[14]. Cobra Derringers are beautifully handcrafted with a wide range of calibers and barrel lengths that provides versatile and reliable service for a lifetime. 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. Robert Wogdon produced flintlock firearms from the 1760s, and was particularly well known for his high quality duelling pistols. (1726.5 g). As the distance closed they could fire at will. The plot was foiled, but he was acquitted. [19] Participants wore heavy, protective clothing and a metal helmet, similar to a fencing mask but with an eye-screen of thick glass. Tools for metal. 283, sold to MMA). Colonel Lennox and the Duke, accompanied by their seconds, met on Wimbledon Common on the morning of 26 May. They are immediately recognizable by their elegant proportions, restrained ornament, and technical refinement.