C1840 English Towlson Marlborough (Wiltshire) & Newbury (Berkshire) Steel Frame 50 Bore Belt Pistol With Octagonal Barrel, Belt Bar & Captive Ramrod. None Muzzleloader

C1840 English Towlson Marlborough (Wiltshire) & Newbury (Berkshire) Steel Frame 50 Bore Belt Pistol With Octagonal Barrel, Belt Bar & Captive Ramrod. Sn 19765:1 - 19765:1

There are 3 English gunmakers named Towlson recorded separately as working in Marlborough & Newbury in the percussion era, John Fox Towlson, High Street Marlborough Wiltshire 1841-1855, Joseph Towlson Kingsbury Street, Marlborough 1810-1830 & Joseph Towlson Northbrook Street, Newbury Berkshire 1829-1843 (most likely the same man as the previous Joseph and most likely related to John Fox), see pages 349 & 350 of British Gunmakers Vol.2 by Brown. This is an excellent steel framed percussion belt pistol by Towlson Marlbro (Marlborough) & Newbury (Berkshire). It is 9” overall length with a 4” octagonal steel barrel which has English black powder proofs. The barrel’s smoothbore has just light staining consistent with age. The top of the barrel is crisply signed ‘Towlson Marlbro & Newbury’. The action, Dolphin hammer & trigger guard have foliate engraved decoration. It has a brass blade fore sight, ‘v’ notch plate rear sight, steel belt bar and captive steel ram rod. The action works crisply. The Walnut grip with fine chequering is excellent & undamaged. The back of the grip is inlaid with void German Silver escutcheon. 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 a part of a collection or display. Sn 19765:1

£650.00