Pistol
Category
Arms and armour
Date
1660 - 1670
Materials
iron, wood
Measurements
36.2 cms (Length)
Collection
Dunster Castle, Somerset
NT 2900032.2.1
Summary
One of a pair of flintlock holster pistols, circa 1665-1675.
Full description
One of a pair of flintlock holster pistols, circa 1665-1675. The pistols are constructed with a peculiar flintlock mechanism only produced in England during the mid-17th century and known today as the English Lock. The pistols are almost certainly among those recorded in the 1705 & 1741 inventories of the Castle and may have belonged to Francis Luttrell who established an Armoury at the Castle in about 1680. The pistols were acquired by Dr Robert Rabett when he purchased the bulk of the musket collection from Dunster in the early 1970s. The pistols were bought from Dr Rabetts estate after his death in 2011. Iron barrel, formed in 3 stages, octagonal at the breech, becoming sixteen sided, then round to the muzzle, the stages separated by a band of indentations and a ring moulding. The top flat of the breech struck with a Crowned S mark (unrecorded). Secured to the stock by 2 barrel pins and a barrel tang screw, this inserted upwards through the front trigger guard finial. Wooden ramrod with iron worm (1missing). Barrel length 36.2cm. Calibre 14mm. Walnut full stock, the pommel of flared and rounded form, reinforced with an iron band. Raised carved apron around the barrel tang and profile carving to the ramrod channel and left side of stock opposite the lock. The left side of the stock also with decorative carving. Iron furniture comprising; trigger guard with acanthus finial, and 1 ramrod pipe. Curved iron trigger. Flintlock (English Lock Type 2) with flat plate and bevelled edges. Decorative filing to top edge of plate behind pan. Cock with reinforced neck and broad flat base. Dog-catch safety catch behind cock. Facetted flash-pan; the frizzen with a pointed top and facetted back; diamond-shaped finial to the frizzen spring. Retained to the stock by 3 side-nails. References The Craft of the Gunmaker - Guildhall Museum, Rochester August 1991 - January 1992, Exhibition catalogue, Item 5 Brian Godwin, “The Luttrell Pistols”, London Park Lane Arms Fair catalogue, Spring 2013 Brian Godwin, “Historic Firearms of the National Trust – The Luttrell Pistols of Dunster Castle”, Classic Arms & Militaria Magazine, 2013
Provenance
Probably in the the armoury at Dunster Castle in the 1680s and thence by descent in the Luttrell family at Dunster; sold to Dr Robert Rabett in the early 1970s; purchased by the National Trust at auction at Bonhams, Knightsbridge, London, on 30 November 2011 (lot 519) for £30,000, with a grant of £9,500 from the V&A Purchase Grant Fund and with funds from Dunster Castle and from gifts and bequests.
Marks and inscriptions
Barrel breech: Crowned S mark