These pistols are essentially identical except that the first pistol has "KING" and the belt hook on the right side, and the second pistol has them on the left side and has "1" marked on the barrel and action at the breech on the bottom. Other similar pistols have been attributed to William King of London c. 1732-1780. The multi-stage cannon barrels are unmarked except the "1" on the second pistol, but the underside of the actions at the breech has private proofs flaking an unclear diamond shaped maker's mark. The belt hooks have shell engraving at the rear and spire shaped finials, and the actions have martial and track line border engraving. The wrist escutcheons and pommel caps are silver. The escutcheons have masks at the top, scroll borders, and shell designs on the bottom. The pommel caps are the classic Georgian grotesque mask design popular on pistols like this. George Moller's tiny "GDM" collection mark is by the toes.

See "A." Provenance: The George Moller Collection