Duelling Pistols. The 1843 Registration Act Survey.

                                       Duelling Pistols  

                                             Survey

                        The Irish Registration Act of 1843

Schedule B.,6&7 Vic.,Cap.74,Sec 3.

                                  Licence to Keep Arms.

Cased pair of Nicholas Clarke duelling pistols. c.1790

These pistols registered under the 1843 Act in Wexford.

WX 5122&5123

Photography courtesy Alan S. Cook.

As previously stated it has been possible with assistance of many collectors,dealers and students to collate over 1100 weapons registered under this Act. Although this is a very small sample of the 300.000 weapons believed to be in private hands at this time, the findings relating to duelling pistol production are interesting and here detailed.

Of the 40 areas covered under this Act. 32 areas have duelling pistols listed. 

Counties/Boroughs with nil returns for duelling pistols are:-

Fermanagh, Kerry, Kilkenny Borough, Londonderry, South Tipperary,Waterford and Westmeath.

In total 89 pairs/single duelling pistols are listed. Of these 57 (64%) are of Irish manufacture. 30 (33.7%) English and 2 (2.3%) unknown.

75 are Flintlock. 9 Percussion and 5 Converted from Flintlock to percussion during their working life.

NB: Some of those listed under Flintlock may have been "professionally" reconverted from percussion in recent times due to market values.

Most Prolific Gunmakers;

Irish Gunmakers                 Pairs/singles      English Gunmakers   Pairs/singles

                                                             

John Rigby & W&J Rigby         13            .               Wogdon                            9

Mc Dermott. Farrell/Henry?         7            .        Wogdon & Barton                     1

George Turner                            5                     H.W. Mortimer. / & Son  4+1 =  5                       

Nicholas Clarke                          4                     Manton/Manton & Son               3
                                 
                                  Total      29                                                       Total     18

The above gunmakers contributing 52% percent of the total duelling pistols listed in this survey.

Of the 32 areas with registered duelling pistols, Dublin City (DC) has the largest return with 18 Pairs. Of these, 13 pairs were manufactured by Irish gunmakers. The balance of 5 were of English manufacture. Therefore, we can clearly see the output of the Irish gunmakers far exceeded the imported English dueller in Dublin City.viz; 72% to 28%.

All figures based on existing data.

We are always pleased to receive information related to any weapons registered under the
1843 Registration Act.

                                             Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk