These pistols have the same basic design as the single Waters pistol attributed to Asa Waters I of Sutton, Massachusetts, pictured in several books, including page 28 of "Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock, 1760-1845'" by Smith and Bitter, page 420 of "The William M. Locke Collection," and item 32 in "The New England Gun" by Lindsay and also currently displayed on the website of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. It is possible that all three of these pistols are actually by John Waters of Birmingham in the 1770s. Like the other pistol, these are both signed "WATERS" on the locks and have "PRO" and "VED" on the upper left of the barrels at the breech, wire inlay work at the top of the wrist, and ornate mounts. Lindsay and others identified the "PRO" and "VED" markings as imitations of British proofmarks executed by Waters. The same proof markings have also been seen on pistols by English gunsmiths in the late 1700s and early 1800s prior to the opening of the official Birmingham proof house in 1813 (see "The Probin Gunmakers of 18th-Century Birmingham" by Godwin, Evans and Williams for example). Unlike that pistol, these have silver furniture and iron barrels rather than brass/bronze barrel and furniture. They are also not marked "SUTTON" on the top of the barrel and have some scroll and floral engraving instead. The silver furniture was clearly crafted in England and has Birmingham hallmarks for 1775 and stamped with "CF" maker's marks for Charles Freeth. The caps have the classic grotesque mask and have greater detail than on the illustrated Waters pistol. If that pistol was copied from British patterns by Asa Waters I, its brass grotesque cap was directly copied based on the more highly detailed caps on this pair. Another pistol by John Waters in one of our previous sales used the same cap design and was also marked as by Freeth. The trigger guards have acorn finials. The side plates have delicate scroll and floral patterns. The stocks have scrolling silver wire inlays accented by silver pins at the top of the wrist, ornate silver wrist escutcheons, tear drop flats, and slight bird's head pommels. Regardless of who manufactured this specific pair of pistols, they are from the era of the American Revolution and certainly may have seen use in battle in the hands of British and/or American officers.

Good with gray and brown patina and minor pitting on the lock and barrel which have legible but partially faded markings and designs, attractive aged patina and distinct designs on the silver furniture, nearly all of the silver wire and pin inlays remaining, general mild wear, a few slight hairline cracks in the stock, and partially loose trigger guard finial. Mechanically fine.

As "A".

Good with gray and brown patina and minor pitting on the lock and barrel which have legible markings and designs, aged patina and distinct designs on the silver furniture, and general mild wear. The stock is fair and has a metal plate installed under the lock to stabilize the cracking through the midsection, a splice below the lock, some minor chipping elsewhere, and general light scratches and dings, and the vast majority of the silver wire and pin inlays remain. The lock has a replacement mainspring and is mechanically fine. Overall, this is a very interesting and attractive pair of officer's style pistols with hallmarks from the year of the outbreak of the American Revolution.