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Extremely Fine Documented Sporting Arms from the Malcolm King Collection
LOT 1353
Very Fine & Unique Engraved Pair of
John Dickson & Son .297/.230 (Morris) Single Barrel Sidelever Bar-In-Wood Hammer Target Pistols in Case Made for General
Sir Montagu Gilbert Gerard -A) John Dickson & Son Target Pistol - Serial no. 4009, 297/230 CF cal., 10
1/2 inch bbl., blue/ casehardened finish, walnut stock. The maker’s records confirm that
this pair of pistols were
completed on March 28,
1892, for Colonel M.G.
Gerard. For many years,
prior to a thorough
re-binding of the
Dickson record books,
this pair of pistols had
been credited to Charles
Gordon. Serial numbers
4008, 4012, and 4013
are all Gordon guns, but
the page was presumed
missing which detailed
serial numbers 4009,
4010, and 4011. As Gordon was known to have
ordered firearms in groups, and these pistols are of
highly unusual specification, it was presumed Gordon
had ordered a group of six guns covering serial
numbers 4008 through to 4013. This error stretched
as far as publication in “Charles Gordon. Magnificent Madness”
by Donald Dallas in 2009. Gerard’s career is discussed in the
description for the previous lot. This pair of pistols were ordered
from Dicksons ahead of his appointment in 1892 as British Military
Attache at St. Petersburg, no doubt on the back of his success
with the Tsarevich’s Indian Tour. The pistols have blued octagonal barrels signed “JOHN DICKSON & SON. 63,
PRINCES STREET. EDINBURGH” in gold with standing notch rear sights and bead front sights. Their casehardened scroll engraved actions have carved percussion fences, blued sidelevers, and are numbered “1” and “2” respectively on the tangs. The casehardened scroll engraved rebounding sidelocks are signed “JOHN DICKSON & SON”. The furniture is engraved en suite and comprises blued spurred trigger guards and casehardened pommel caps. The well-figured walnut half-stocks have checkered wrists and forearms. The forearms are carved in low relief with a shell, and the base of the butts are carved in low relief with a band of stylized foliage. The wrists are fitted with blank gold oval initial escutcheons. The pair are contained in their original brass cornered oak and leather case with red baize lining. The lid has a red leather John Dickson & Son trade
label with gilt lettering, and the exterior of the lid has a blank circular brass escutcheon.
CONDITION: Very fine. The barrel retains nearly 100% of the reblued finish and has bright gold inlays. 75% of the original casehardened finish remains, and the sidelever and trigger guard have traces of original blue finish. The engraving remains crisp, and overall there is only light wear. The wood is also very fine and has crisp checkering and light handling and storage marks. The restored case has minor overall wear. Mechanically excellent.
B) John Dickson & Son Target Pistol - Serial no. 4010, 297/230 CF cal., 10 1/2 inch bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. See “A.”
CONDITION: Very fine. The barrel retains nearly 100% of the reblued finish and has bright gold inlays. 85% of the original casehardened finish remains, and the sidelever and trigger guard retain 75% of the original bright blue finish. The engraving remains crisp, and there are some overall light handling and storage marks. The wood is fine and has crisp checkering, light handling and storage marks, and a thin crack through the bottom of the wrist. Mechanically excellent.
This is an intriguing pair of very scarce and unusual breech loading target pistols owned by an officer of the British Empire in the late
1800s and early 1900s.
Provenance: The Malcolm King Collection.
Estimate: 14,000 - 18,000
General Sir Montagu Gilbert Gerard
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