Early to Mid 19th Century English Percussion Cap Pocket Pistol Featuring The Early Top Hat Type Mechanism Signed Sanders Loughboro
A good quality round framed boxlock pocket pistol with a nicely engraved frame, Birmingham Proof Marks, silver (white metal) buttcap and oval escutcheon and signed Sanders on the left side and Loughboro on the right.
The short heavy barrel is engraved with acanthus leaves at the muxxle and has Birmingham Proof Marks.
The mainspring is strong and the action in both half and full positions is crisp, as is the hidden drop down trigger and top sliding safety catch.
The mechanism for holding the Top Hat percussion caps in place has a very strong spring and it is tricky to lift it away from the nipple. I believe there should be a spur to help do this, but it looks like it is missing.
There is a Joseph Sanders listed as a Gunmaker from 1834 to 1863 but after looking on the internet I found a very interesting obituary dated 17th April 1913 for another Joseph Sanders of Loughborough who was born in 1838, maybe Joseph's son? Apparently his family was noted for generations in their skill of Gunmaking. It also mentions that his Grandfather and Great Grandfather were Armourer Sergeants in the Royal Scotts Greys and the Grandfather was at Waterloo.
There is much more interesting information in this obituary about the family of this pistols maker (too much to list here), but it certainly adds a bit of flavour to this attractive little piece of English history.
Barrel length 4cm, Overall length, 16cm.
This antique pistol is considered obsolete and non functioning, and is sold as a collectable ornamental item. This product is available for purchase in the UK without a license
