‡ A RARE CASED PAIR OF 40 BORE FORSYTH PATENT... Lot 382

‡ A RARE CASED PAIR OF 40 BORE FORSYTH PATENT SECOND MODEL SLIDING MAGAZINE-PRIMED DUELLING PISTOLS BY FORSYTH & CO. PATENT GUNMAKER'S, LONDON, NOS. 3471 AND 3472, CIRCA 1828 with heavy browned twist octagonal sighted barrels, signed 'Forsyth & Co. Patent Gunmakers, London' in block capitals on the flats, struck with proof marks and the serial numbers beneath, case-hardened breeches numbered en suite, inlaid with platinum lines, fitted with slider beds formed with a scroll at the front and with engraved platinum plugs, scroll-engraved case-hardened breech tangs incorporating the back-sights, flush-fitting flat locks signed 'Forsyth & Co.' in block capitals, engraved with sprays of foliage and border ornament and numbered on the inside, fitted with detents, blued bolt safety-catches, engraved hammers en suite, case-hardened links, and engraved case-hardened sliding magazines, polished highly figured walnut half-stocks, chequered butts, engraved blued steel mounts decorated en suite with the locks, comprising trigger-guards, pear-shaped butt-caps, ramrod-pipes, vacant silver escutcheons, silver barrel bolt escutcheons, silver fore-end caps and original horn-tipped ramrods with brass terminals: in a fitted mahogany case lined in green baize (small areas of wear, adapted to fit the pistols), fitted with flush-fitting brass carrying handle on the outside (small crack, key escutcheon missing), the interior with Lang trade label for No. 7 Haymarket (circa 1821-52), complete with two oil bottles, three-way flask, rammer, and pricker 25.5 cm; 10 in barrels Alexander John Forsyth (1768-1843), a Scottish clergyman with an interest in sport, mechanics and chemistry patented his device for igniting a gun from fulminate of mercury in 1807. Soon after his company was established with workmen under the master gunmaker James Purdey. For a full account see Neal and Back 1969.