Duelling pistols

Pair of flintlock pistols attributed to Admiral Lord Nelson 1758-1805. The pistols are fully stocked to within one tenth of an inch of the muzzle. They are slightly ball butted at the end of a pronounced curve; the sides of the butt have been flattened and the centre part of the stock is also flattened, being symetrically carved to take the lockplate and sideplate. Apart from this, the wood of the stock is plain. The pistols are fitted with engraved or embossed silver mounts as follows: the butt cap is drop shaped and bears the embossed figure of Britannia surrounded by foliage and scrolls. A strip of plain silver beneath the butt leads forward to the trigger guard which bears engraved floral decoration. This leads in turn to a finial, again in silver consisting of a pineapple stemming from a foliated vase. Two octagonal sectioned ramrod pipes, also of silver are fitted beneath the fore-end. A silver sideplate is decorated with baskets of flowers. The pistols are sidelock, flintlock with sliding safety catch to the rear of the cock. The barrel is of octagonal section, browned with a blade foresight of gold. The calibre is approximately 0.55in. The pistols are inscribed between the trigger guard and the finial 'Horatio/Nelson/1780'; on the lockplate 'WOGDON'; and on the barrel 'WOGDON LONDON'. The silver mark within the trigger guard is that for London in 1788/9. The pistols are in the mahogany case lined with green baize in which are a screwdriver, powder flask, bullet mould, goose quill, wooden rod with baize cloth, wooden rod with metal end, jag, glass phial containing oil and lead balls. If the trigger guard is original to this weapon, and it certainly seems to be, then the attribution to Nelson must be false. Nevertheless these pistols are particularly fine. They may have been acquired by the Third Earl Nelson who collected many Nelson relics.
Robert Wogdon