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View Full Version : Another pair of Q. Anne pistols


NeilUK
21st October 2016, 12:11 PM
For those suffering withdrawal symptoms after enjoying Corrado's collection here is a pair by William Paris of Warwick, the grandson of the more famous Nicholas Paris. The pistols date to c.1740 and on each escutcheon is engraved the owner's crest - a long-necked bird (heron? but only the neck is displayed) with a small fish in its beak. If anyone can discover what family bore this crest I would be most interested to know.
Regards to all. Neil

corrado26
21st October 2016, 03:28 PM
A very nice pair of later Queen-Anne-pistols with the later form of the trigger guards. Unfortunately I'm not able to say to which British family the crest at the thumbplates belonged but yet many thanks for the fotos.

corrado26

Pukka Bundook
22nd October 2016, 02:12 PM
Lovely pistols Neil! Very nice to see and thank you. Lovely condition.

Arms look a bit like those of W'm Beckwith, (Once Lord Mayor of London)
I don't have a copy of Peel's Peerage though.
Can you post a close-up for a better look?
With your permission, I could send such a photo to a good friend back home who has the appropriate references. (If no-one here has a ready answer.)

The escutcheon is of a style I have not seen before.
Congrats again Neil!

Richard.

NeilUK
23rd October 2016, 01:39 PM
Thanks, Richard. Here is a bigger and better photo of the escutcheon.
Hope your colleague can discover something.
Neil

Pukka Bundook
23rd October 2016, 02:11 PM
OK Neil, I'll as Bill.
Thank you for the close up. That should be good enough!

Andreas
23rd October 2016, 05:32 PM
A heron's head erased holding in his beak a fish, very possibly the crest of the Beckford family, from England and Jamaica. William Beckford was Lord Mayor of London in the 1760's (probably the "Beckwith" Richard meant), but I suppose there would be other members of the family as candidates.

Pukka Bundook
24th October 2016, 06:39 AM
Andreas,

In my post above, I mistakenly wrote "Beckwith" when I meant "Beckford"!
I hadn't written the reference down and got it wrong (!)

Thank you for correcting me!

Neil,

I asked Bill, and he checked 1,950 plates in Fairburns Crests and found nothing quite the same.
Still I am sure Andreas has it!

Best,
Richard.

NeilUK
24th October 2016, 11:31 PM
Richard and Andreas - many thanks for your efforts. I have made a note of Wm Beckford, Lord Mayor of London, or one of his close family (father or son only, to fit the date of the pistols), as original owner.
My kind regards to you both.
Neil

NeilUK
25th October 2016, 11:44 AM
I forgot to say that the trigger guards can slide forwards at half-cock to act as a safety catch.
Neil

David
25th October 2016, 10:27 PM
https://armorial.library.utoronto.ca/stamp-owners/BEC002

NeilUK
26th October 2016, 04:33 PM
Wow, Thanks David, that's brilliant and confirms the suggestions of Richard and Andreas. Kind regards.
Neil

Pukka Bundook
26th October 2016, 08:02 PM
Neil,

You don't have to worry about the differences in the engravings, as this was largely up to the engraver to interpret.

Best,
R.