British officer's blunderbuss pistol

corrado26 · 29th May 2021, 08:14 AM

Finally a portrait of George Wallis

Raf · 29th May 2021, 11:16 AM

So why might Wallis choose to have himself depicted holding an extremely rare German all steel Wheelock pistol from about 1550 ?
Answer George Wallis was a celebrated Antiquary and Gunsmith who established a museum at his Mytonngate premises by 1794 displaying not only weapons but coins, ores and petrifications. The weapons included the all -steel Brunswick wheelock pistol shown in the portrait.

corrado26 · 29th May 2021, 11:33 AM

May be he was not only a gunmaker but also a collector od historic arms?

Dmitry · 29th May 2021, 09:07 PM

Thank you for discovering the portrait of Wallis. Think of this, flintlock mechanism was already more than 150 years old when the portrait was painted! That wig looks like he put a dead cat on his head. How the fashions change...

M ELEY · 30th May 2021, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dmitry

That wig looks like he put a dead cat on his head. How the fashions change...

Hey, I still wear my fezziwig like that today!

Raf · 30th May 2021, 11:57 AM

At least George the elder had good taste in antiquarian arms. Here is another item from his collection ; a hunting sword supposedly belonging to Henry V111

29th May 2021, 08:14 AM	#1
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,226	Finally a portrait of George Wallis Attached Images

29th May 2021, 11:16 AM	#2
Raf Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 252	So why might Wallis choose to have himself depicted holding an extremely rare German all steel Wheelock pistol from about 1550 ? Answer George Wallis was a celebrated Antiquary and Gunsmith who established a museum at his Mytonngate premises by 1794 displaying not only weapons but coins, ores and petrifications. The weapons included the all -steel Brunswick wheelock pistol shown in the portrait. Last edited by Raf; 29th May 2021 at 11:39 AM.

30th May 2021, 11:57 AM	#6
Raf Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 252	At least George the elder had good taste in antiquarian arms. Here is another item from his collection ; a hunting sword supposedly belonging to Henry V111 Attached Images

29th May 2021, 11:33 AM	#3
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,226	May be he was not only a gunmaker but also a collector od historic arms?

29th May 2021, 09:07 PM	#4
Dmitry Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 607	Thank you for discovering the portrait of Wallis. Think of this, flintlock mechanism was already more than 150 years old when the portrait was painted! That wig looks like he put a dead cat on his head. How the fashions change...