A Cased Pair Of Attractive, Antique, Victorian, Belgian Percussion Boxlock Pistols. A Pair of 'Barkers' Set in a Walnut Box Case In The French Style. Walnut Bag-Shaped Pistol Grips

Just returned from the workshop in order to have considerable conservation to both pistols, taking several days, in order to have both their surface finishes hand cleaned, polished, re-blued and conserved, plus, their actions oiled. Walnut box is a later casing in the French style.

The nickname 'Barkers' was popularized in 19th-century literature. For example, in Charles Dickens' 1837 novel Oliver Twist, a character prepares for a robbery by arming himself with a pair of "barkers".

A very similar percussion 'Barker' appears in a photograph, in the book 'Crimean Memories', by Hutchinson, Vice and Small, {Page 169} used by Surgeon M.B. Munro of the 93rd {Sutherland Highlanders} of Foot in the Crimean war, as one of a pair of his personal defence weapons. Now in the Regimental Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum.

Boxlock pistols were pocket pistols popular in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Effectively the first Derringers. The most unique feature of their design was the boxlock mechanism. Unlike most firearms which have the hammer located off to the side of the pistol, a boxlock pistol had the hammer located directly on top of the pistol. They were called a boxlocks because all of the working mechanisms for the hammer and the trigger was located in a box or receiver directly below the top mounted hammer. While the hammer obstructed the aim of the user, this system had the advantage of making the gun more compact and concealable than other pistols. The first boxlock pistols were flintlock and where later made in percussion lock. Unlike modern firearms, these pistols were not mass produced, but were hand made in gunsmith's workshops.

In 18th and 19th-century slang, a pistol was called a
barker because its loud explosion was thought to resemble the "bow-wow" or barking of a dog.

The term originated as "barking iron," an Irish expression recorded in the 1785 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Over time, it was shortened simply to "barker." It was initially "cant" (thieves' slang) used by footpads and highwaymen during robberies.
The term was also adopted by Royal Navy seamen to refer to both small Sea Service pistols and larger lower-deck artillery pieces.

While other colourful nicknames like "pops," "snappers," and "meat in the pot" were also used during this era, "barker" remained a common term until the end of the 19th century.

Overall blued with light natural aged russet surface beneath, both actions are tight with good springs, one action fires well on double cocking, the second just on first cocking. The walnut box is good, with some old surface scratching, key lock works well.

Box case 8 inches x 10 1/5 inches x 2 inches, pistols, overall 8 1/2 inches each, barrel's 4 inches each.

Priced once the conservation cast has been calculated

Code: 26088