A lethal and sleek pair of firearm by a premier gunmaker of London, John Fox Twigg (1732-1792), these pistols were the personal weapons of a 19TH Century gentleman of taste, who would have wanted protection with an artistic touch and not too imposing nor difficult to carry. Signed on the lock plate left sides "Twigg" and "London" on the right, they carry London proof marks beneath as well. Making an lasting impression is only part of the purpose of the spring-loaded bayonets.
The pair of octagonal barrels are approximately .50-bore with the blunderbuss muzzle flaring to 13/16ths diameter well after the first reinforce which shows an inscribed sunburst design. The pistols would have been originally flintlocks by Twigg, and the exceptional steel lion-headed percussion hammer strikers are quite early, likely done by a renowned gunsmith in the 1820s, the first decade of such conversions. The hardwood grips are polished smooth. This is an exceptional pair of firearms with an artistic presence to their deadly function.
12 1/4 inches long, 17 inches long with bayonet open. 1 1/8 inches wide.
