Use your arrow keys to navigate the tabs below, and your tab key to choose an item, Title: Wogdon had apprenticed to the Irish gunmaker Edward Norton in Lincolnshire. Two pairs of pistols allowed for a second exchange of shots if both missed and the challenger of the duel was intent on continuing. As the challenged party, Hamilton selected Churchs pistols as the weapons. When facing down a, The birth of the legendary Barrett M82 sniper rifle, is a fascinating American tale of inspiration, dedication, and innovation. A discussion of the poem in The Critical Review; or, Annals of Literature from 1782 notes, "The artist to whom these stanzas are inscribed is famous for his skill in making pistols, whose aim is remarkably true" and notes the lines, "No one can tell how short he shall remain, If honour calls and Wogdon bids him die" as among the best in the poem. [1] The name Wogdon became synonymous with dueling, to the extent that duels in England were sometimes referred to as "a Wogdon affair". This dueling flintlock pistol is by Robert Wogdon (1733-1813), a well-known London gunsmith from Lincolnshire who operated at Haymarket, London, from 1774 to 1802. 1834); Theodore Offerman, New York (until d. 1937; his estate sale, American Art Association-Anderson Galleries, Inc., New York, November 1113, 1937, no. All the metal has a smooth gray-brown patina. 14.75"". The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can now connect to the most up-to-date data and images for more than 470,000 artworks in The Met collection. Although best suited for military use, they were often owned by civilians. "Pair of Wogdon & Barton Flintlock Dueling Pistols (AH6322)" for sale online. He left no records and never used serial numbers on his guns. Look at any Wogdon duelling pistol, be it one from his early production years in the mid-1770s or one made towards the end of his career when in partnership with John Barton in the early 1800s, and they all have that unmistakable Wogdon style. Carried to his Manhattan home, Hamilton lingered in agony, the pistol ball lodged next to his spine. A Rare Pair Of 40-Bore Flintlock Overcoat Or Travelling PistolsBy Wogdon & Barton Of London, Circa 1800. SOLD. Gunmakers to Bow St. Police, 1801-3. Robert Wogdon produced flintlock firearms from the 1760s, and was particularly well known for his high quality duelling pistols. (1219 g); powder flask (b): H. 4 1/8 in. Tragically, on 21 November 1801, Churchs Wogdon pistols were used in a duel between Hamiltons eldest son, Philip, and George Eaker, a Jefferson supporter who had publicly made insulting remarks about Alexander Hamilton. Her promiscuous behaviour was well known and a series of anonymous, scurrilous articles with barely veiled references to her appeared in Reverend Bates Morning Post. Materials. (39.4 cm); Wt. The Most Famous Set of Dueling Pistols - Wogdon & Barton Until the building's demolition in 2019, you could view the most famous set of dueling pistols in history on display at the former JPMorgan Chase Tower, at 270 Park Avenue, NY, New York. They have small blade front and fixed notch rear sights. Each pistol with 10 inch rebrowned sighted octagonal barrel inscribed Wogdon & Barton London on the top flat, gold lined touch hole, foliate engraved tang incorporating the rear sight, flat bevel edged signed lock with stepped tail and sliding safety, set trigger, figured walnut full stock, swelling flat sided butt, engraved iron furniture including trigger guard with pineapple finial, horn tipped ramrod; contained in their original baize lined mahogany case with accessories including a leather bodied flask, flint wallet and cleaning rod, the exterior with recessed brass carrying handle. Its the story of a, In 1873, two of America's greatest gunmakers would unveil the defining arms of the era. Thus, firing too early might make you more likely to miss and have to risk being shot at from a shorter range. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/29592. Literature: For similar examples see Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton by John OSullivan & De Witt Bailey pp 180 185. (3.8 cm); Wt. The 10"" swamped at the muzzle octagon 67 caliber smooth bore barrels have good bores with light roughness. This pair is rifled, something forbidden by the 18th century dueling codes but that became more accepted in the 19th century, especially in continental Europe where it became standard. Burr was charged with murder but the case never reached trial. The whereabouts of the second Wogdon pistol are unknown. When Charles Lee and John Laurens dueled during the American Revolution, they each brought a pair. Wogdon & Barton (British, London 17951803), Gunsmith: Whatever its origin, the name Wogdon certainly has a funereal ring to it, and very appropriate for the gunmaker whose duelling pistols were to send many men to their premature deaths. Its long barrel, measuring nearly twelve inches in length, indicates its intended use for targets. 7 oz. There are currently no customer product questions on this lot. By 1780, Wogdon had settled on the final form for his duelling pistols and saw no reason for any . When a duel was fought with a single pair of pistols it was because neither duellist owned their own and the pistols were supplied by a third party. Committed to designing and building . Steel and Brass Section, Rod and Sheet. All the shooter has to do to set the trigger is press it forward, something readily found in examination by anyone knowledgeable with dueling pistols, and a feature I would expect the seconds to explain if one or both duelists was inexperienced. Whatever the eventual outcome, it was the expected duty of both the parties seconds to record faithfully all details of the duel, from the original insult, the issuing of the challenge to the eventual outcome. All rights reserved. The Mantons, Griffin & Tow, H.W. The usual duelling distance of 12 paces was measured out and it was agreed that both parties would fire at the given signal. (17.1 cm); Wt. This is an edited extract from Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmakers 1764-1819, price 75, published by Bonhams. Many of Wogdons pistols have bent barrels. The custom fitted case has a later three-compartment powder flasks, balls, and an original section from the ramrod of gun "A." As you can see, hitting a man-sized target with a muzzleloading pistol wouldnt have been particularly difficult. There's a lot going on in this escutcheon! Wogdon & Barton (founded by Robert Wogdon) was an 18th-century firm of gunsmiths based in London, England. These consisted of wax bullets in a cartridge without any powder charge; the bullet was propelled only by the explosion of the cartridge's primer. At first glance, the surviving pistol is not immediately recognisable as the work of Robert Wogdon. Certainly during his working life he was referred to as the celebrated Wogdon and also, he [Wogdon] is a famous man for making pistols. A North African Flintlock Pistol . The trigger guard finial is an engraved acorn. A Rifled Pocket Pistol by Smith. The barrels on earlier guns were cylindrical, while later ones tended to be octagonal. Design [ edit] He is recorded as 'Gunmaker, at Mr. Maw's Haberdasher, Cockspur St., Charing Cross' in 1764. He was, at his death, described by his long-term friend, surgeon Jesse Foot, who had attended his duelling injuries 33 years earlier, as a villain to the backbone cowardly, insidious, hypocritical, tyrannic, mean, violent, selfish, jealous, revengeful, inhuman and savage without a counterveiling quality. To this day, debate still rages as to whether Alexander Hamilton deliberately fired high over Burrs head to demonstrate he had no intention of shooting Burr, or whether his pistol prematurely discharged due to the set trigger before he could properly bring his pistol to bear. No details as to the pistol used by the Duke of York have so far been found. [5], As duels were generally fought at short distances which were paced out, typically 35 to 45 feet (11 to 14m),[6] between stationary opponents, extreme accuracy was not required. For example, when the Duke of York was challenged by his nephew Charles Lennox when they were serving in the Coldstream Guards, Lennoxs Wogdon pistols from 12 paces at Wimbledon Common was chosen, and they were to fire upon the signal. Only one of the pair of pistols made by Robert Wogdon that were used in this duel has survived, and is on permanent exhibition at the Museum of London; it presumably belonged to Colonel Lennox. An aesthetic vocabulary of blued, case-hardened, and browned steel and richly finished walnut, both with tasteful gold and silver accents, defines much of their best work. (10.5 cm); Wt. In addition to the renown quality of his pistols in his own time, Wogdon is arguably the most recognized maker of dueling pistols known today because of the pair used in the famous duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr that ended with Hamilton fatally wounded. Hosted and Maintained by TwoPointZero IT. Travelling pistols, also known as overcoat pistols, were intended for use by travellers to protect themselves from highwaymen and footpads; unlike duelling pistols, they were commonly rifled. They loaded the pistols and the parties took their stations. (41 cm); L. of barrel 11 15/16 in. Their "saw handle" stocks are one of just many designs English gunmakers experimented with in their efforts to create deadly accurate dueling pistols. (44.5 cm); D. 6 3/4 in. An eagle is engraved on the headband. The seven days having expired and no club member recollecting to have heard such words, Colonel Lennox felt justified in concluding that they were never uttered. A discussion of the poem in "The Critical Review; or, Annals of Literature" from 1782 notes, "The artist to whom these stanzas are inscribed is famous for his skill in making pistols, whose aim is remarkably true" and notes the lines "No one can tell how short he shall remain, If honour calls and Wogdon bids him die" as among the best in the poem. Burrs shot had struck him in the ribs and caused serious damage to his organs and left him paralyzed. The lock, which is bright along with the cock, is marked in script ""Wogdon"". He died on September 14, 1836, a poor and broken man, on the same day that the divorce was finalized. He died early the next morning. [Note 2] Injuries from such bullets, coupled with the primitive state of emergency medicine at the time when duels were commonplace, meant that pistol duels frequently resulted in fatalities, often some hours or days afterwards. Pistol: wood (walnut), steel, gold, brass, horn; ramrod: wood (walnut), brass, steel; case: wood (mahogany), velvet, brass; powder flask: brass, steel, leather; bullet mold: steel; screwdriver: wood (walnut), brass, steel; cleaning rod: wood (walnut), brass, steel; bottle: glass, Dimensions: 344. (36.9 g); bullet mould (d): L. 4 13/16 (12.2 cm); Cal. This is a very nice pair of dueling pistols by a well-known maker of quality flintlock pistols. [2] The name Wogdon became synonymous with dueling, to the extent that duels in England were sometimes referred to as "a Wogdon affair". With re-browned swamped octagonal sighted barrel (bore pitted) with crudely refreshed signature along the top flat and line of beadwork at the rear, silver fore-sight, border engraved tang with back-sight and decorated with a shell and foliage, signed detented flat . As part of, Samuel Brunn (English, London, recorded 17951820), Louis Perrin (French, Paris, active 182365), James Purdey the Elder (British, London 17841863 Margate), J. C. A. Brun (French, Paris, active 184972), Louis Nicolas Auguste Flobert (French, Paris, 18191894). Taking deliberate aim, was considered vicious and discouraged. In the late 18th century and early 19th century in Europe as well as America, if a gentleman, or in rare cases a lady, or someone close to them faced an insult, they were expected to demand a proper apology or satisfaction., To refuse or decline a challenge risked their reputation and being posted as a poltroon (an utter coward). Despite duelling being always regarded as illegal, in practice it was widely tolerated by both the juries and the sentencing judges. The Duke of York had publicly insulted him and had virtually accused him of cowardice. Stoney Bowes, not one to give up easily, appealed against Marys divorce suit but Mary eventually gained her freedom. [11] The short range most duels took place at, combined with the accuracy of rifled pistols meant their use substantially increased the chances of a fatality during a duel. [3] Spurs on the trigger guards began appearing after around 1805 to provide a rest for the middle finger to improve the shooter's grip. The victor is presumed to be the just party in the case because the divine would have chosen the winner. Special care was taken when moulding the lead bullets to ensure that there were no voids which would affect accuracy. Great Britain and Ireland, 1600-1800 A.D. Patron of that Leaden death. Lot 3248 in the upcoming August 26-28 Premier Auction: A classic pair of Wogdon dueling pistols from circa 1780. (39.4 cm); Wt. That may have been one option, but it doesnt appear to have been common. Pistol (a): L. 16 1/8 in. The top center of the oval has what appears to be some kind of bird figure and a sword. 3 lb. Lot 81: This historic pair of silver mounted H.W. Guns International #: 102053710 Seller's Inventory #: AH6322. The surviving Lennox pistol used in a duel with the Duke of York. Whether Lennox had used his Wogdons in his duel with Swift is not known. (9.6 mm); Wt. Eacker had called the two young men damned rascals.. Philip was mortally wounded, and died in agony the following day. Colonel Lennox and the Duke, accompanied by their seconds, met on Wimbledon Common on the morning of 26 May. Wogdon's duelling pistols were fitted with set triggers as a standard feature, so they cannot be regarded as "secret" devices that other duellists of the era would be completely unaware of. The Faur Le Page company of France made special pistols for sport duelling. London proof marks and RW barrel makers mark. The events leading up to the duel, the newspaper articles, the near fatal injuries Stoney had suffered, had all been a complete sham engineered by Stoney and Bate to trick Bowes into marriage, giving Stoney control over her huge fortune. Robert Wogdon produced flintlock firearms from the 1760s, and was particularly well known for his high quality duelling pistols. The butt cap and trigger guard are polished bright. This dueling flintlock pistol is by Robert Wogdon (1733-1813), a well-known London gunsmith from Lincolnshire who operated at Haymarket, London, from 1774 to 1802. The Colt Single Action Army revolver and the Winchester Model. It also breaks from the longstanding tradition of decorative opulence in fine Continental European firearms.London gunmakers favored subtle embellishments that complemented the firearms deliberate and meticulous assemblies. Robert Wogdon (1734-1813) is arguably the best known and most respected maker of flintlock dueling pistols. With swamped octagonal sighted barrels each signed in script along the top flat and engraved with a band of beadwork at the breech, silver fore-sights, tangs each incorporating the back-sight and finely engraved with foliage, signed flat . Not surprisingly, the few duels in which Wogdons pistols were known to have been used took place between opponents who were well-known public figures. Gunsmith Wogdon & Barton British He died in 1813, and by that time hundreds of men are believed to have been injured or killed by his pistols in duels. He was only 19 years old. The barrels are marked Wogdon & Barton London in script on the top flat. In Britain, the favoured type was for the duellists to stand still at an agreed distance and shoot when given the signal. [7] For some in the eighteenth century, duelling with less-accurate, smooth-bore weapons was preferred as they viewed it as allowing the judgement of God to take a role in deciding the outcome of the encounter. (42.5 g); screwdriver (e): L. 3 15/16 in. ANTIQUE Engraved WOGDON FLINTLOCK Dueling Pistol Pistol Maker of the Pistols Used in the BURR-HAMILTON Duel! The relined case has moderate age and storage related wear. Firearms-Pistols-Flintlock, Credit Line: When it came down to staring down an opponent, many men put their trust in gunmakers like Robert Wogdon rather than divine intervention. The Field is the oldest and ultimate sporting journal, covering everything rural types care about since 1853. For this reason, very few duels can now be confidently identified as those in which Wogdon pistols were used. The Duke did not return fire. (44.5 cm); D. 6 3/4 in. Until the mid-18th century, duels were typically fought with swords. Perhaps the most bizarre duel in which Wogdon pistols were used took place on 13 January 1777 between the Reverend Henry Bate and Andrew Robinson Stoney. (10 cm); Wt. More has been written about this duel than any other in American history. Very good with more than half of the period refurbished brown, distinct Damascus patterns, and bright gold vent on the barrel; mix of brown and mottled silver-gray patina on the lock, gray and brown patina on the iron furniture, dark aged patina on the silver, mild oxidation/pitting, and generally mild wear overall. Often if one duelist had not fired around the same time, they would not even return fire unless they were seriously at odds with their opponent. Colonel Lennox would have faced a real dilemma over this incident. It has an iron blade front sight and standing notch rear sight (these were often used as target pistols) at the breech tang and a gold lined vert. Exactly what happened next has been debated and veiled in mystery ever since. "British Flintlock Dueling Pistol by Wogdon (AH6306) . [5] These gave the person using them an advantage over their opponent by reducing the amount of finger pressure required to fire the pistol, which greatly increased accuracy of the shot. This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Flintlock Target Pistol of Prince William Frederick, Second Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (17761834), with Case and Accessories, Wogdon & Barton (British, London 17951803), John Barton (British, recorded 17951819), Pistol: wood (walnut), steel, gold, brass, horn; ramrod: wood (walnut), brass, steel; case: wood (mahogany), velvet, brass; powder flask: brass, steel, leather; bullet mold: steel; screwdriver: wood (walnut), brass, steel; cleaning rod: wood (walnut), brass, steel; bottle: glass, Pistol (a): L. 16 1/8 in. Gunmaker at Mr. Maws haberdashers, Cockspur St., Charing Cross, 1764. The locks are signed "Wogdon/&/Barton" and have frizzen rollers, sliding half-cock safeties, and stepped tails. From about 1770 onwards, gunsmiths were producing pistols expressly made for duelling.[2]. Thereafter they quickly took over and after 1785 it was rare for a sword duel to be fought in London. While the design looks a bit odd, the author has found most sawhandle pistols point very naturally. Once one man fired, he was generally expected to stand at that spot and await his opponents shot within the remaining time and before crossing the barrier. Although their purpose was combat or self-defense, holster pistols were used on occasion to fight duels.
