I am afraid this will be a general, visual post rather than a technical one, I took these photos just before I left the factory on Friday and I didn't note down any of the details of the pair of pistols, the main and obvious question being the bore size. I was slightly (actually very) overwhelmed by the quality and condition of the whole package and the details seemed irrelevant at the time.
The Howdah pistol was the 'last line of defence' for a hunter high on top of an elephant whilst hunting tiger. If a Tiger was to charge the elephant and climb up to attack the people occupying the Howdah there was little room in which to defend oneself at the last moment, it was likely that the muzzle loading long arm had been discharged by this time.. Hence the Howdah pistol the short barrel, large bore firearm that could be drawn and manoeuvred in tight space, providing a killing blow, or in the case of this pair 4 barrels, 4 killing blows.
I have always liked very much the whole concept of the Howdah pistol and it was always something that I wanted to make a current version of, a large bore rifle cased together with a matching double barrel Howdah pistol. Our laws on barrel length and pistols has prevented that project from ever happening which is a shame.
Whilst I have seen a small amount of Howdah pistols in my years dealing, they are certainly not common and they have normally been single and quite plain models. I had a pair of Holland & Holland .577 Howdah pistols many years ago at Las Vegas and I remember them selling in a flash.
This pair is quite unique and the condition is remarkable, all the accessories down to spare springs numbered for each lock. One of the oil bottles even has the seal unbroken and contains the very oil filled with 150 years ago, quite remarkable!
This sculpture is at the Royal Armoury in Leeds where the National Collection of Firearms is held. It depicts very well the drama of the tiger hunt and the moments leading up to where a Howdah pistol would be useful if the shot he has held is a miss!
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Simon Clode on October 3, 2016 at 5:48 am
Correct Fowad, they match the style of the pair of long guns and have the same provenance. There is a small gap in the serial numbers of the 2 pairs. Both the long gun and the pistols have Damascus barrels.
Simon
Fowad on October 3, 2016 at 3:53 am
They seem to pair with rifles you posted earlier. What a find! The barrels seems damascus?
Simon Clode on October 5, 2016 at 10:14 pm
Miles, I think you are correct in saying percussion would be allowed so I probably don’t have a valid excuse! I will have to learn how to make 4 matching damascus barrel blanks though and that will take me a good few years to start with! I wouldn’t be happy with the modern Damascus efforts!
Allan Kirk on October 2, 2016 at 9:58 pm
Good evening Simon
Now that really is a find! You have a real time capsule from c.1850 of Royal life in the Raj. I assume that they are oval-bored?
Allan
Miles Gilbert on October 5, 2016 at 8:59 pm
Simon, you have enough on your plate without making Howdah pistols, but wouldn’t they be legal in the UK made in percussion like the pair shown? Not a few of us grown up children would enjoy that!
Very best wishes for your continued improving health,
Miles