He left no records and never used serial numbers on his guns. (42.5 g); screwdriver (e): L. 3 15/16 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. Patron of that Leaden death!" (30.3 cm); Cal. The overall length is approx. Wogdon & Barton was an 18th-century firm of gunsmiths based in London, England. 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. The hooks or spurs on the trigger guard can be used with your middle finger to help steady the pistol. Despite duelling being always regarded as illegal, in practice it was widely tolerated by both the juries and the sentencing judges. Wogdon & Barton (British, London 17951803), Gunsmith: Surprisingly, Lee was only lightly wounded and the affair ultimately ended without another exchange, in part due to Alexander Hamiltons role as Laurenss second. Its the story of a, In 1873, two of America's greatest gunmakers would unveil the defining arms of the era. SUBSCRIBE today for our lowest ever deal, SIX ISSUES for JUST 6 by clicking on THIS link. The Wogdon pistols used in the Hamilton-Burr duel belonged to Hamiltons brother-in-law, Colonel John Barker Church. In some situations, the duelist who had already fired was also supposed to keep advancing until the opponent had fired. Instead, the duelists should fire quickly. In 1797, Alexander Hamilton's brother-in-law, John Baker Church, had obtained an exquisite pair of custom-made dueling pistols made by Wogdon. This resulted in a further duel between Colonel Lennox and Swift, which resulted in the unfortunate Swift being shot in the abdomen. This rare public showing marked the first time these pistols have been displayed in Washington, D.C. Hosted and Maintained by TwoPointZero IT. Given the large number of cased pairs of his duelling pistols that have survived to this day, his production was significant. 283, sold to MMA). Two loud bangs followed by the unmistakable sound of clashing swords were heard and, with the help of waiters, the door was forced open. 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. 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. (17.1 cm); Wt. [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. A 28-Bore Flintlock Duelling PistolBy Wogdon & Barton, London, Circa 1800. Cobra Firearms is a firearm and accessory manufacturer located in Salt Lake City, UT specializing in American made derringers and handguns that are unique. These were break action, single-shot weapons that were fitted with a shield in front of the trigger, to protect the hand holding the pistol. 0.00. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 1834); Theodore Offerman, New York (until d. 1937; his estate sale, American Art Association-Anderson Galleries, Inc., New York, November 1113, 1937, no. When it came down to staring down an opponent, many men put their trust in gunmakers like Robert Wogdon rather than divine intervention. Robert Wogdon and John Barton operated at 14 Haymarket, London, from 1795 to 1803. They are immediately recognizable by their elegant proportions, restrained ornament, and technical refinement. The Mantons, Griffin & Tow, H.W. This supremely elegant target pistol is among their most accomplished work. His pistols were so well known that "Stanzas on Duelling Inscribed to Wogdon, the Celebrated Pistol-Maker" from 1782 starts with the lines "Hail Wogdon! The Field is the oldest and ultimate sporting journal, covering everything rural types care about since 1853. 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. [1] The name Wogdon became synonymous with dueling, to the extent that duels in England were sometimes referred to as "a Wogdon affair". 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: Stoneys dying wish was that Mary would marry him. (1219 g); powder flask (b): H. 4 1/8 in. 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. RIAC believes that this website is accessible to the widest possible audience pursuant to the guidelines of the Americans with Disability Act. Cobra Derringers are beautifully handcrafted with a wide range of calibers and barrel lengths that provides versatile and reliable service for a lifetime. The overall length of this pair of flintlock dueling pistols is approx. The locks are signed "Wogdon/&/Barton" and have frizzen rollers, sliding half-cock safeties, and stepped tails. The name Robert Wogdon is one that appears frequently in tales of the most infamous duels. On 13 January 1777 at the Adelphi Tavern and Coffeehouse, Bate was accosted by Stoney and the duel proceeded without any witnesses. 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 . (1726.5 g). This is an edited extract from Robert Wogdon, Wogdon & Barton, John Barton, London Gunmakers 1764-1819, price 75, published by Bonhams. Tools for wood. Tools for metal. Ref: 582. Pistol dueling was an associate (non-medal) event at the 1906 and 1908 Olympic games (see Olympic dueling). Generally, if both duelists fired without effect, the challenger could declare himself satisfied or demand another exchange. 12.9 oz. If the matter could not be resolved through formal correspondence, the conflict would most commonly be settled with a formal exchange of shots from proper dueling pistols: a Wogdon affair.. [3], Duelling pistols had long barrels - typically around 10in (250mm) and fired large, heavy bullets. However, it was acceptable for duels to be fought with different pistols and for each duellist to use their own pair, so they could use weapons they were familiar with. 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. Stoney demanded Bate reveal the author of these articles; Bate refused and Stoney challenged him to a duel as the Countess of Strathmores champion. 20002023 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Burr appears to have had no such qualms and had been practicing his marksmanship. Initially, both men refused to fire. He carried on his business in Haymarket from 1774 until his retirement in 1802. Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. (6.7 cm); W. 17 1/2 in. These shots were fired at 25 yards with rapid dueling style aim rather than carefully deliberate aim. One of a pair of silver-mounted duelling pistols, the earliest Wogdon set with silver by Michael Barnett, registered on 29 June 1781. His total production of duelling pistols over the 39 years that he was a gunmaker is unknown. 14.75". The 9 5/8"" octagon 64 caliber swamped smooth bore barrel has a fair bore with pitting. See "A." (10 cm); Wt. Its long barrel, measuring nearly twelve inches in length, indicates its intended use for targets. Today, those walnut, brass, and gold pistols are located in the headquarters of J.P. Morgan Chase, on 277 Park Avenue in New York City. For example, if God was sure to choose the innocent, then he could guide a ball to the proper target no matter how inaccurate the pistol, but duelists sought out pistols by gunmakers known for reliability and accuracy, and some practiced shooting at targets to ensure their aim was true. 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. Great Britain and Ireland, 1600-1800 A.D. 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. Starting in 1795 to 1803, he operated with a partner, John Barton, as Wogdon & Barton so this pistol is 1795 or earlier. The top center of the oval has what appears to be some kind of bird figure and a sword. Collectors Firearms, LLC. 15"". Thus, firing too early might make you more likely to miss and have to risk being shot at from a shorter range. 0.8 oz. Steel and Brass Section, Rod and Sheet. The remaining furniture is iron and includes classic English engraving, including fine pineapple finials on the trigger guards. The hard part would have been shooting both accurately and quickly with your life on the line. But you had never gained so great a name, In England had your pistols killed as few." The whereabouts of the second Wogdon pistol are unknown. Both pistols have their original iron-tipped ramrods with an attached worm at the end. Lennox replied that he could not consider His Royal Highness as any other than the son of his King. Read British gunmakers of the 21st century for more about the companies continuing a long tradition. Poem, Stanzas on Duelling, by an Irish Volunteer, 1783, began Hail Wogden! His father told him to fire to miss, known as deloping, rather than take a mans life. 344. Nonetheless, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel to repair his reputation. Famous for duelling pistols. Very good with more than half of the period refurbished brown, distinct Damascus patterns, and bright gold vent on the barrel; mottled silver-gray patina on the lock, gray and brown patina on the iron furniture, dark aged patina on the silver, replaced ramrod shaft, minor oxidation/pitting, and general mild wear. The overall length of this pair of flintlock dueling pistols is approx. The actions on both pistols function correctly. No details as to the pistol used by the Duke of York have so far been found. The crest and monogram strongly suggest they may have belonged to Wogdons son-in-law, William Butt Jnr. 14.75"". The overall length is approx. 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. [13][Note 4], There were various forms of pistol duel. E ach 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 Hamilton received a .54-caliber wound to the abdomen from an English-made Wogdon & Barton flintlock smoothbore dueling pistol. "Loan Exhibition of European Arms and Armor," August 3September 27, 1931, no. Carried to his Manhattan home, Hamilton lingered in agony, the pistol ball lodged next to his spine. Gunmakers to Bow St. Police, 1801-3. One Theophilus Swift was to write a pamphlet on the affair, taking the Dukes side. 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. (44.5 cm); D. 6 3/4 in. 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 some stage after they left Wogdons shop their original elegant full stocks were replaced with rather ugly heavy bronze fore-ends, perhaps to add muzzle weight to shift the centre of balance and reduce barrel flip. Click Photo to Enlarge Guns International #: 101363115 Seller's Inventory #: 190413 Category Antique Pistols - Flintlock Handguns - European Pistols Seller's Information 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. Robert Wogden was one of the preeminent gunsmiths of his era. [2] Pistols with calibers of 0.45in (11mm), 0.52in (13mm), 0.58in (15mm) or even 0.65in (17mm) were common. Click here for more information. 1 lb. However, for at least twenty years before the BurrHamilton duel, English duelling pistols by all the top makers had been customarily fitted with set triggers. 14.75"". 15". They have small blade front and fixed notch rear sights. Though disputed, this duel most likely took place on 26 May 1789. The original dueling pistols used by Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in the 1804 duel that killed Hamilton were on exhibit from May 25 - September 16, 2018. (39.4 cm); Wt. [2] The name Wogdon became synonymous with dueling, to the extent that duels in England were sometimes referred to as "a Wogdon affair". WOGDON & BARTON. [12], Pairs of duelling pistols can be easily confused with holster pistols and travelling pistols. The surviving Lennox pistol used in a duel with the Duke of York. Wogdon retired in 1803 and died in 1813. The barrels have a decorative band around the breech end. Stoney was to make Marys life a nightmare, subjecting her and her children to eight years of continuing physical and mental abuse, including threats of rape and murder. Stoney Bowes, not one to give up easily, appealed against Marys divorce suit but Mary eventually gained her freedom. They loaded the pistols and the parties took their stations. Wogdon made the pistols used in the infamous BurrHamilton duel, which were later claimed to have concealed "hair triggers" (also known as set triggers). If either party was injured at all, the seconds were generally expected to work to declare the duel was over. "British Flintlock Dueling Pistol by Wogdon (AH6306) . As the distance closed they could fire at will. [7], The most famous and innovative manufacturers were London-based companies such as Wogdon & Barton, Durs Egg, Manton, Mortimer, Nock, and Purdey. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Bentham concluded that Burr was little better than a murderer. The poem later references him again and notes, "This death we lay not, Wogdon to thy blame; Cullum must have his fame as well as you. At a meeting three days later of officers of the Coldstream Guards to deliberate on whether Colonel Lennox had behaved as became an officer and gentleman, the officers resolved: It is the opinion of the Coldstream Regiment that Colonel Lennox had behaved with courage but from the peculiar difficulty of his case, not with judgement. Soon afterwards Colonel Lennox resigned his commission in the Duke of Yorks regiment. [20], The use of pistols in duels became popular in the United Kingdom, France, and colonial America during the mid-eighteenth century. [15] The rules of the "French method" of duelling required the duellists to begin back-to-back, walk a set number of paces before turning and firing. Died aged 79. This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. 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. Guns International #: 102054289 Seller's Inventory #: AH6306. From about 1790 firearms were generally fitted with mahogany cases, whose interiors were lined with green baize (woolen cloth) and subdivided into discrete compartments for the weapon, tools, and accessories. Hamilton had opposed Burrs political campaigns since the 1790s, and letters were published indicating Hamilton at a dinner expressed his opposition to Burr politically, called him a dangerous man, and held a still more despicable opinion of Burr. 0.8 oz. Whether it was in this form when used by Colonel Lennox in the 1789 duel, or still in its original full stocked form, is unknown. Research suggests the attribution is spurious, though the quality is superb. (22.7 g); glass bottle (f): H. 1 1/2 in. 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. Burr was never tried for Hamiltons death, but rather than revive his political career, the duel was its death knell. .36 in (9.3 mm); Wt. Spring Steel. (9.6 mm); Wt. 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. Of course if you could hit your opponent first, you might not have to be fired upon at all. Thereafter they quickly took over and after 1785 it was rare for a sword duel to be fought in London. Although their purpose was combat or self-defense, holster pistols were used on occasion to fight duels. Fate or divine intervention was a key aspect of the origins of dueling. Hamilton languished until 2 p.m. on July 12, 1804. 1 lb. 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. 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. Two discarded Wogdon pistols were discovered. Colonel Lennox and the Duke, accompanied by their seconds, met on Wimbledon Common on the morning of 26 May. By candlelight it was obvious that Stoney had been seriously injured with three stab wounds to the chest. British, London, Medium: His pistols were so well known that "Stanzas on Duelling Inscribed to Wogdon, the Celebrated Pistol-Maker" from 1782 starts with the lines "Hail Wogdon! The stock on gun 2 is fine with no cracks or chips and the dents and dings expected of light to moderate use. Gunsmith Wogdon & Barton British [12], It is often stated that duelling pistols came in identical pairs to put each duellist on an equal footing. More Info. 37.154.3ag. Burrs shot had struck him in the ribs and caused serious damage to his organs and left him paralyzed. Haymarket, 1774-1802. 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. The lock, which is bright along with the cock, is marked in script ""Wogdon"". Please use the print button in the share bar at the top of the page. Colonel Burrs shot struck home and General Hamilton fell almost instantly. His Royal Highness replied he should say nothing, after which all parties left the ground. Lock plates engraved Wogdon & Barton, having push-on half-cock safeties, semi-rain proof pans, and roller frizzen springs (one spring repaired). https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/29592. They, and the cocks, have raised decorative edges. A Rifled Pocket Pistol by Smith. Alternatively, the duelists might exchange shots in turn instead of firing at the same time as was the case in the Laurens-Grimk duel in 1775. They resulted in the deaths of two men from an illustrious American family just a few years apart. More has been written about this duel than any other in American history. 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. Starting in 1795 to 1803, he operated with a partner, John Barton, as Wogdon & Barton so this pistol is 1795 or earlier. Since the 1800s, explorers and dangerous game hunters navigating the African bush have trusted their lives to the double rifle. Instead of firing into the sky or the ground, aiming for a near miss would show seriousness and would appear to any witnesses to have been a legitimate attempt but avoid taking a life. Robert Wogdon, a gunmaker most famous for his dueling pistols, partnered with John Barton late in his career. 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. In some instances multiple rounds were fired without injury. 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. When Charles Lee and John Laurens dueled during the American Revolution, they each brought a pair. Taking deliberate aim, was considered vicious and discouraged. Such alterations would have taken place at some time after it left Wogdons shop. [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. A PAIR OF ENGLISH FLINTLOCK DUELING PISTOLS by Wogdon & Barton, London The sighted browned octagonal twist steel barrels engraved Wogdon & Barton London, the touch-holes lined in gold with hooked breeches and engraved tangs.Set triggers.