James Richardson was an English Gunsmith with premises at 21 Deansgate, Manchester between 1793 to 1830. This is an excellent .650 carbine calibre Flintlock pistol by Richardson made to the highest quality for a Yeomanry Cavalry Officer. It is 14 ½” overall with a steel 9" 'twist wash' finish octagonal barrel. The barrel has crisp English proof marks. The top barrel flat is signed ‘Manchester’. The barrel’s smooth bore is near mint clean and bright. It has a Swan neck hammer fitted with flint. The lock plate is crisply signed by the maker 'Richardson' below tooled decoration. It has a lovely walnut full stock with plain rounded butt and chequered top edge. It's steel fittings including trigger guard are nicely engraved with foliate decoration and it's trigger guard with extended tang has a pineapple finial. The breech has a gold band and gold roundel touch hole & the fore stock has silver fittings. The pistol has silver bead fore sight and 'v' notch plate rear sight. It is complete with its ebonised wood ramrod with polished horn cap & steel worm. The top of the stock is inlaid with an engraved silver escutcheon with engraved stylised Royal Cypher ‘GR’ (King George III Rex) and '6 Troop' indicating that this is a privately purchased Yeomanry Officer's weapon. It's action works crisply. The metal and wood of the pistol have no damage. The price for this quality piece worthy of further research includes UK delivery. NB As an antique flintlock pistol no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as a part of a collection or display. Sn 22426:35
£1,375.00