A rare and impressive whaling gun from the earliest period of firearm innovation in the fishing industry, this English Whaling Harpoon Gun is a stout and serious instrument that revolutionized whaling. Made by George Wallis of Hull, he is recognized as the first successful maker of the swivel-mounted harpoon gun, circa 1800. The author William Scoresby indicates this period to have been 1772-1792, while other later sources credit the invention to 1800-1815.
When originally made, this Wallis gun had two flintlock hammers that worked off a single trigger, and have long ago been converted to two dual-percussion cap hammers, that would have lanyard triggers threaded out the locks to be fired simultaneously, ensuring the firing of the harpoon. With a full charge, it had an accurate range up to 40 yards. The name Wallis of Hull is on the iron barrel, amongst the heavy aged pitting, deep rust and signs of use under an old remnant of black oil paint. The left brass hammer compartment is marked "SHIP".
Owning a deadly presence, the gun barrel is a stout 30½ inches in length with a 2½ inch diameter with a 1¾ inch bore, while the overall harpoon gun is 43¼ inches, plus the split-shaft barbed harpoon with ring for line attachment. The English Society of the Arts had paid premiums to whalemen and artisans in the 1790s and early 1800s for those showing innovation and improvement in the use of the guns and harpoons. When William Greener substantially changed the design and powder of this type of harpoon gun in 1837, the new styles became known as Greener guns. This older gun was kept in use during this period, as indicated by its conversion.
