Lot 3248 in the upcoming August 26-28 Premier Auction: A classic pair of Wogdon dueling pistols from circa 1780. All the metal has a smooth gray-brown patina. Desirable Cased Pair of Engraved Wogdon & Barton Flintlock Dueling Pistols Auction Date: August 28, 2022 Estimated Price: $ 6,500 - $ 9,500 Price Realized: Details A) Wogdon & Barton Dueling Pistol Manufacturer: English Model: Flintlock Pistol Type: Pistol Gauge: 54 Barrel: 10 inch octagon Finish: brown/casehardened/blue Grip: Stock: walnut Great Britain and Ireland, 1600-1800 A.D. Pair of Wogdon & Barton Flintlock Dueling Pistols (AH6322) Price: $6,500.00 Item Number: AH6322 Add to Cart Add to wishlist Robert Wogdon and John Barton operated at 14 Haymarket, London, from 1795 to 1803. (6.7 cm); W. 17 1/2 in. 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. John OSullivan and De Witt Bailey chart the life and work of the gunmaker known for his duelling pistols in their new book, Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmakers 1764-1819. He went on to become one of the most infamous traitors in American history for conspiring to steal by force territory acquired for the United States by Thomas Jefferson as well as land in Mexico to create his own western empire. Robert Wogdon (January 1734 - 28 March 1813) died aged 79 and was buried with his wife Jane (died 15 February 1805, aged 69) in the chancel of St Bartholomew's Church, located on the outskirts of Buntingford, Hertfordshire. Stoney Bowes was to spend the remaining 22 years of his life as a prisoner, his mounting debts still unpaid, and still pursuing yet more legal avenues to regain control of Marys fortune. Not all fine, antique pairs of pistols are duelling pistols, though they may be called so. Read British gunmakers of the 21st century for more about the companies continuing a long tradition. Some say Hamilton threw away his shot on purpose as he had declared he intended to do privately and then Burr fired, while others suggest Hamilton fired reflexively after being shot. If either party was injured at all, the seconds were generally expected to work to declare the duel was over. This emphasis on the purity of form references the Neoclassical style then in vogue. 14.75"". Much to everyones surprise, following the wedding Stoney made a rapid and complete recovery. 0.00. The brown damascus style finish is . You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. (10.5 cm); Wt. Robert Wogdon produced flintlock firearms from the 1760s, and was particularly well known for his high quality duelling pistols. (10 cm); Wt. Exactly what happened next has been debated and veiled in mystery ever since. Hamiltons pistol went off and struck the ground. Finally, a published letter made reference to a particularly despicable opinion Hamilton had expressed about Burr. In some duels, the pistols were carefully and identically loaded, and each duellist was offered his choice of the indistinguishable loaded pistols. Prince William Frederick, Second Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (1803d. Free ground shipping on all US Online Orders over $100! Like that pair, these pistols have "concealed" single set triggers, a standard feature of their pistols rather than a secret designed to give one duelist an advantage over the other. 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. 0.8 oz. [7] The name Wogden in particular became associated with duelling pistols, to the extent that a duel was sometimes referred to by lawyers as a "Wogden Case". Research suggests the attribution is spurious, though the quality is superb. The answer to the question frequently asked of the owners of Wogdon duelling pistols, Were these pistols ever used in a duel? must unfortunately therefore be, We just dont know.. As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes. Compounds and Solutions for Metals. SOLD. The 9 5/8"" octagon 64 caliber swamped smooth bore barrel has a fair bore with pitting. This is a very nice pair of dueling pistols by a well-known maker of quality flintlock pistols. The emotional trauma that Alexander Hamilton must have suffered three years later, facing Aaron Burr on the same spot where his son had been killed, and with perhaps the same pistol that he himself was now holding, can hardly be imagined. Not all fine, antique pairs of pistols are duelling pistols, though they may be called so. His father told him to fire to miss, known as deloping, rather than take a mans life. Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API. The sliding-safety locks are marked in script ""Wogdon"" over ""&"" over ""Barton"". 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. 0.5 oz. [6], Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh. This resulted in the death of a Member of Parliament, An account of an 1825 duel in Paris between two Irishmen states that one brought his pair of English, "Pair of Flintlock Duelling Pistols ca. You can safely challenge a friend to a duel with muzzleloading pistols today by using modern dueling targets that leave only bragging rights on the line. 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. All rights reserved. Hamilton received a .54-caliber wound to the abdomen from an English-made Wogdon & Barton flintlock smoothbore dueling pistol. The locks are signed "Wogdon/&/Barton" and have frizzen rollers, sliding half-cock safeties, and stepped tails. He went perilously close to putting a ball through the dukes head, grazing one of the royal curls an action which would not have improved his military career prospects. Stoney Bowes, not one to give up easily, appealed against Marys divorce suit but Mary eventually gained her freedom. After one man had fired, the other could fire within the remaining allotted time. More Info. The Mantons, Griffin & Tow, H.W. Church himself had fought a bloodless duel with Burr a few years earlier. When facing down a, The birth of the legendary Barrett M82 sniper rifle, is a fascinating American tale of inspiration, dedication, and innovation. Cobra Firearms is a firearm and accessory manufacturer located in Salt Lake City, UT specializing in American made derringers and handguns that are unique. This article about a company of the UK is a stub. He completed his term as Vice-President but his political career was effectively over. (10.5 cm); Wt. (14.2 g); case (g): H. 2 5/8 in. As the smoke cleared, Alexander Hamilton lay mortally wounded. [Note 3], Most English pistols had smooth bores, though some had scratch rifling, a subtle form of rifling which was difficult to see with the naked eye. Stoneys dying wish was that Mary would marry him. Two loud bangs followed by the unmistakable sound of clashing swords were heard and, with the help of waiters, the door was forced open. By candlelight it was obvious that Stoney had been seriously injured with three stab wounds to the chest. It has a dovetailed blade front sight, "Wogdon & Barton London" in script on top of the barrel, a gold vent liner, notch rear sight on top of the breech, "Wogdon & Barton" on the . WOGDON & BARTON. 1.5 oz. Undoubtedly the most famous duel with Wogdon pistols, and certainly the most famous pistol duel in the United States, took place on 11 July 1804 at Weehawken, New Jersey, between the former Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, and the sitting Vice-President of the United States, Aaron Burr. Wogdons guns were designed to be aimed quickly, reliably fire, and shoot true. 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. Lennox grazed the Dukes curls, and the Duke held his fire. 1.3 oz. (22.7 g); glass bottle (f): H. 1 1/2 in. Wogdon & Barton was an 18th-century firm of gunsmiths based in London, England. The custom fitted case has a later three-compartment powder flasks, balls, and an original section from the ramrod of gun "A." The stock on gun 1, which is lighter than gun 2, is vey good with no cracks, a chip around the rear barrel key, a small chip at the rear trigger guard attachment pin on the right, and scattered usage dents and dings. The barrels are marked Wogdon & Barton London in script on the top flat. Burr appears to have had no such qualms and had been practicing his marksmanship. The bow and butt cap also show engraving. The overall length is approx. The doctors concluded that Stoneys injuries might well prove fatal. The finest London firearms made in the classic British style of the early nineteenth century rank among the most stately and innovative in the history of gunmaking. The brown damascus style finish is visible in several areas along with scattered dents and manufacturing defects. The best hunting horse. 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. Patron of that Leaden death!" Lot 1275: Cased Pair of Griffin & Tow flintlock dueling pistols circa 1780. He died the following day. Two pairs of pistols allowed for a second exchange of shots if both missed and the challenger of the duel was intent on continuing. This resulted in a further duel between Colonel Lennox and Swift, which resulted in the unfortunate Swift being shot in the abdomen. Colonel Burr arrived first. Chase Manhattan Bank acquired the pistols in 1930, and they now reside at the National Postal Museum. As a result, duelling pistols with rifled barrels were considered unsporting by many, although there was no unfairness so long as the pistols were identical. He was dead within thirty-six hours. .38 in. Compounds and Solutions for Wood. An Irish duelling pistol, dated 1774, a collectors term for a gun where the barrel is longer than 10in, with a short, straight butt. Robert Wogdon produced flintlock firearms from the 1760s, and was particularly well known for his high quality duelling pistols. More Info. Starting in 1795 to 1803, he operated with a partner, John Barton, as Wogdon & Barton so this pistol is 1795 or earlier. Carried to his Manhattan home, Hamilton lingered in agony, the pistol ball lodged next to his spine. The surviving Lennox pistol used in a duel with the Duke of York. 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. As John Norris writes in Pistols at Dawn: A History of Duelling, Wogdons name has unarguably become more closely associated with dueling pistols than any other gunsmith of the period, and has come to epitomize these specialized firearms. 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. In Britain, the favoured type was for the duellists to stand still at an agreed distance and shoot when given the signal. With dueling pistols, Hollywood loves to show to adversaries starting back to back and walking off a set number of paces before turning to fire. After he forcibly abducted Mary to the north of England, a warrant was issued for Stoney Bowes arrest. Spring Steel. The only recorded Wogdon pistol with a brass barrel, hallmarked 1791. Hamilton did not elaborate but indicated his remarks were political, not personal, which would imply that Burrs honor had not been drawn into question. (1219 g); powder flask (b): H. 4 1/8 in. Mary Eleanor Bowes was the richest heiress in England at that time. Robert Wogdon manufactured the pistols used in the Hamilton-Burr duel, the most famous duel in American history. A major source of income for Robert Wogdon was the production of duelling pistols, though perhaps significantly he never referred in his invoices to his pistols as being duelling pistols, but were rather a neat pair or brace. He died in 1813, and by that time hundreds of men are believed to have been injured or killed by his pistols in duels. Fate or divine intervention was a key aspect of the origins of dueling. In some situations, the duelist who had already fired was also supposed to keep advancing until the opponent had fired. 20002023 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (39.4 cm); Wt. The butt cap and trigger guard are polished bright. He died on September 14, 1836, a poor and broken man, on the same day that the divorce was finalized. The name of one gunmaker recurs repeatedly in tales of the most infamous duels Robert Wogdon, says John O'Sullivan and De Witt Bailey, in this edited extract from Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmkaers 1764-1819. See "A." 37.154.3ag. (136.1 g); cleaning rod (c): L. 15 1/2 in. Wogdon had apprenticed to the Irish gunmaker Edward Norton in Lincolnshire. The overall length of this pair of flintlock dueling pistols is approx. Colonel Burrs shot struck home and General Hamilton fell almost instantly. We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. Collecting, preserving, researching, publishing, and exhibiting distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. [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. SCHEELS [11] A pair of rifled pistols often included a small hammer or mallet as an accessory; they used slightly oversized bullets and a hammer was needed to drive the bullet down the barrel when loading. 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. The overall length of this pair of flintlock dueling pistols is approx. He then fled to Europe where he continued to conspire to steal land in the West. Mortimer, and many other talented English gunmakers certainly manufactured incredibly fine dueling pistols and helped create new innovations in their designs over time, but Wogdon truly specialized in them. But if the first to fire missed, he was required to stand still and wait for his opponent's shot. There are currently no customer product questions on this lot. Both sets of pistols have single set triggers. 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. In the Lee-Laurens duel mentioned above, the two men resolved to walk towards one another and fire at will and exchanged shots at just five or six paces. He is recorded as 'Gunmaker, at Mr. Maw's Haberdasher, Cockspur St., Charing Cross' in 1764. Committed to designing and building . Somewhat reluctantly, Mary agreed and four days later Stoney was carried on a stretcher down the aisle of St Jamess Church, Piccadilly, to marry Mary Elizabeth Bowes, Dowager Countess of Strathmore. The poem alludes to fate but suggests a duelists destiny lay in Wogdons hand. The 9 5/8"" octagon 64 caliber swamped smooth bore barrel has a fair bore with pitting. David S. Weaver covered this for the American Society of Arms Collectors,but in short, Wodgons barrels were bent downwards slightly. Robert Wogdon made many and varied firearms pocket and livery pistols, double-barrelled pistols, sporting guns and rifles, carbines and blunderbusses but he was most renowned for his duelling pistols. Again, the affair began with politics. (44.5 cm); D. 6 3/4 in. The hooks or spurs on the trigger guard can be used with your middle finger to help steady the pistol. In London, the first recorded pistol duel was in 1711[Note 1] but the use of pistols was unusual until the 1760s.