The maker’s records confirm that these extremely fine howdah pistols were made for Jaswant Singh, the Maharaja of Jodhpur, in 1878. Forming part of a distinctive series of gilt firearms ordered from the famous London gunmaker Charles Lancaster, a trend started by his father, Maharaja Takht Singh, these howdah pistols are quite possibly the finest percussion examples of the genre to be offered on the open market. With browned fine damascus barrels respectively signed “CHARLES LANCASTER” and “151. NEW BOND STREET. LONDON.” with a raised solid matted rib bearing a gilt bead front sight. A gilt captive stirrup ramrod is fitted beneath the muzzles and the underside of the barrels struck with London proof marks and the barrel maker’s mark “CL”. Casehardened patent breeches each engraved with a band of beadwork, inlaid with a short gold line, and with platinum plug engraved with a rosette. Standing breech incorporating the notch rear sight and bar locks each signed “C. LANCASTER LONDON” within ribbons and with blued sliding safety catch behind the hammer. The standing breech, locks, ramrod entry pipe, barrel bolt escutcheons, trigger guard and pommel which incorporates a hinged trap cover are all gilt and extremely finely engraved with profuse flowering rococo scrollwork. Retaining screws are blued and finely engraved with flowerheads. The gilt trigger plate has a small rounded finial engraved en suite and is fitted with blued triggers. Finely figured walnut three quarter length stock with carved drop points behind the locks and with finely checkered butt. The wrist inset with a blank gold oval initial escutcheon.

Extremely fine and apparently unfired. The barrels have a very pleasing fine damascus pattern and retain 98% older expertly applied rebrowned finish, signatures are crisp, matting on sighting rib slightly softened. The standing breech, locks and furniture retain near 100% original gilt finish, some age fading to the bluing on the retaining screws. The engraving is of London very best quality and remains as crisp as the day it left Lancaster’s workshops. The stock has an attractive figure pattern and has a varnished or lacquered finish, some occasional minor age related storage and handling blemishes, checkering on the butt is crisp and sharp. Mechanically excellent.

Of identical form to “A”. The pair housed in their original brass cornered oak and leather fitted case lined in a rich purple velvet, the lid with printed Charles Lancaster trade label. With accessories comprising iron pincer ball mold, leather wrapped powder flask with white metal top with blued spring, two glass oil bottles, two brass mounted hardwood cleaning/loading rods each with worm, two Turk’s head cleaning brushes, two mops and two brass jags which all fit over the worms on the rods, a loading mallet with boxwood head, a patch cutter, a turned wooden patch pot, four spare mainsprings, two spare lock retaining screws, four spare percussion nipples, a percussion nipple wrench and two turnscrews.

Extremely fine and apparently unfired. The barrels have a very pleasing fine damascus pattern and retain 98% older expertly applied rebrowned finish, signatures are crisp, matting on sighting rib slightly softened. The standing breech, locks and furniture retain near 100% original gilt finish, some age fading to the bluing on the retaining screws. The engraving is of London very best quality and remains as crisp as the day it left Lancaster’s workshops. The stock has an attractive figure pattern and has a varnished or lacquered finish, a repaired flake at the nose of the right lock, some occasional minor age related storage and handling blemishes, checkering on the butt is crisp and sharp. Mechanically excellent. Mechanically excellent. The case is in very fine condition with minor external age related storage marks, blemishes and discoloration. Internally the lining is generally good with age related rubbing from the pistols and accessories, the base of the trade label and lid lining is holed from rubbing against one of the pistols. Some partitions are loose, others with signs of older regluing. Accessories are in very fine condition. The external straps and carrying handle have been expertly replaced. The term “howdah pistol” conjures romantic images of grand hunts at the height of the Raj, and these pistols present a unique opportunity to acquire not only a fabulous pair of true howdah pistols but also a tangible link to the opulent courts of the Indian nobility. Provenance: The Malcolm King Collection.