This late 18th century pair of holster/officer's pistols from Harvey Walklate Mortimer (1753-1819) has smoothbore brass barrels with silver blade front sights with flush inlaid silver "spider" bases, gold vent liners, "-H.W. MORTIMER- -LONDON-" signed on the upper flats, engraved accents including star patterns, "crown/HM" maker's marks flanked by London proof and view marks on the upper left flats, and beaded border designs at the breech ends. The bright iron standing breeches include fixed notch rear sights and have floral engraving. The rare and unusual paktong lock plates are signed "H.W. MORTIMER" and have sliding half-cock safeties, light floral and burst engraving, stepped tails, and frizzen rollers. The furniture is silver and includes acorn finials on the trigger guards, light borders, floral accents, and classical martial trophies. The ramrod tips are also silver. The trigger guard tangs have London hallmarks, including the "h" date codes for 1783 and "MB" maker's marks (Moses Brent). The full-length stocks have checkered wrists. The silver wrist escutcheons are inscribed with griffin heads and torses over the initials "JA." Given these are "carbine bore," the initials may be for the English officer who first owned these pistols at the end of the American Revolutionary War.

Fine overall with attractive aged patina on the brass, silver, and paktong, mostly silver-gray patina on the iron components, and generally light age and storage related wear. The markings and engraving remain distinct. The stock is also fine and has crisp checkering, some cracks in the forend tip, and light scratches and dings. Mechanically fine.

See "A."

Fine overall with attractive aged patina on the brass, silver, and paktong, mostly silver-gray patina on the iron components, and generally light age and storage related wear. The markings and engraving remain distinct. The stock is also fine and has crisp checkering, a split in the forend tip, small bits of filler at the front wedge, and light scratches and dings. Mechanically fine. Overall, this is a very attractive and distinctive pair of British pistols by a renowned gunmaker right at the end of the American Revolutionary War.