QUALITY MAKER**Cased C1850 Victorian English Blanch & Son London 6 Shot .400 Calibre Double Action Percussion Bar Hammer Pepperbox Bar Hammer Revolver With Accessories. Sn 21581 .400 Muzzleloader

**QUALITY MAKER**Cased C1850 Victorian English Blanch & Son London 6 Shot .400 Calibre Double Action Percussion Bar Hammer Pepperbox Bar Hammer Revolver With Accessories. Sn 21581 - 21581

John Blanch was born in 1784 and at the age of 16 was apprenticed to the London gunmaker Jackson Mortimer. On the 2 December 1809, John was married to his master’s daughter, Ann Eleanor Mortimer in Spitalfields Christ Church, Stepney. 1809 also saw Blanch establish his own business from 39 Fish Street Hill. This came after a short lived partnership with his father in law, under the name of Mortimer & Blanch. The early years saw John Blanch working mainly for John Manton but he soon became well established and respected as a gunmaker in his own right. Blanch’s respected standing as a businessman and gunmaker is evidenced by his rapid advancement through the ranks of the Farriers Company, culminating in 1834 with the prestigious appointment of ‘Master’. With his wife, John Blanch had three sons. Their first son, John, was born in 1812 and was apprenticed to his father. In 1836 John moved from London to run the business which his father had acquired from gunmaker Robert Williamson at 26 Silver Street, Hull. However, later the same year John, along with his wife Sara emigrated to Australia and the business in Hull was sold. Sadly John died in 1839, killed in an explosion in his business premises in Melbourne. Second son, Henry Mortimer Blanch was born in 1817. Henry too was apprenticed to his father but, like John, Henry did not stay in the family business and, in 1843, also emigrated to Australia. William Harnett Blanch, son of the late John and Sara, who had been returned from Australia soon after the accident was in 1851 apprenticed to his uncle, William. W. H. Blanch later went on to run his own business at 4 Derby Square, Liverpool. By the time that William Blanch died in 1899, his son, Herbert John Blanch had taken over the running of the business. H. J. Blanch authored ‘A Century of Guns’ which was first published in 1909. The Company is still in existence today. This is a very good pepperbox bar hammer revolver by Blanch & Son London made circa 1850 in its later fitted case with accessories. The revolver measures 9 ½” overall and the barrel cluster is 3 ¼” length. The action, bar hammer, steel frame and trigger guard are engraved with a foliate design. The action tang is signed by the maker ‘Blanch & Son London’. The barrel cluster has English black powder proofs. The revolver has undamaged wood grip with chequered panels and inlaid white metal escutcheon. The barrel’s smooth bores have just light staining consistent with age. It's firing action works crisply. The pistol comes with its later fitted wood case. The case with hinged lid has a lock with key which works as it should. The inside of the case is fitted and lined with felt to hold the pistol and its accessories which consist of a small a quantity of moulded lead balls and a white metal oil tin with screw top lid which has an integral oil applicator tool. The price includes UK delivery. NB As an antique percussion pistol no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 21581

£795.00