This compact percussion pistol has nice grain to the wood, checkering on the grip, and profuse floral engraving on the lockplate, hammer, breechplug tang, and triggerguard, along with small oval escutcheons at the wedge and one on the wrist for an owner’s initials or crest. It is nicely marked by the maker on the lockplate by William Pether, who shows up as a gunmaker at St. Aldate’s on an 1834 and an 1841 list of eligible voters in Oxford.

The barrel is octagonal and shows some thin traces of brown finish, which was probably applied in a Damascus pattern, but is overall smooth metal with a gray finish back to the breechplug tang, which shows a little darker and is nicely engraved, starting with a fan just behind the rear sight. The hammer and lock are engraved to match, as are the screw heads, and triggerguard on bow and elaborate finial. The mounts are largely a muted silver in color with gray spotting, but the engraving is distinct. The wood has a few very minor handling dings, has great color and good edges. The checkering is distinct and sharply defined.

The front sight is missing, but was mortised in place and would not be a difficult fix. The nose cap is horn and the ramrod is attached by as swivel to prevent its loss when the pistol was carried loosely. The escutcheon plates for the barrel wedge are oval in shape to match the wrist escutcheon, which is not engraved. The pistol falls into the class of “overcoat pistol,” a pistol small enough to be carried in overcoat pocket, but sizeable enough to dissuade any assailants or robbers and is a descendant of earlier horseman’s and coaching pistols for a gentleman’s personal defense.  [sr]

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