Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a standard British naval flintlock long sea service pistol dating approximately from the year 1800.
The lock is marked:
[Crown]G.R.
TOWER (across lock tail)
The brass trigger guard marked; B/5
It is complete with correct all brass mounts, ramrod and belt hook which bears a proof acceptance mark.
Along the top of the 12″ barrel there is faintly visible:
HMS REVENGE
There is evidence to some woodwork restoration to the very front of the fore end.
History of the HMS Revenge (1805)
HMS Revenge was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 13 April 1805. She was designed by Sir John Henslow as one of the large class 74s, and was the only ship built to her draught. As a large 74, she carried 24 pounders on her upper gun deck, rather than the 18 pdrs found on the middling and common class 74s.
Newly commissioned, and captained by Robert Moorsom, she fought at the Battle of Trafalgar, where she sailed in Collingwood’s column.
In October 1810, Revenge captured the French privateer cutter Vauteur off Cherbourg after a five-hour chase. Vauteur had been armed with 16 guns, but she threw 14 of them overboard during the chase. She had been out of Dieppe for 45 hours but had made no captures. She was the former British cutter John Bull, of Plymouth, and was restored to Plymouth on 19 October.[2] Diana participated in an attack on a French frigate squadron anchored at Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue at the Action of 15 November 1810, which ultimately led to the destruction of the Elisa.
Revenge served until 1842, being broken up in 1849. She was one of the first warships of the Royal Navy to be painted with the Nelson Checker.
This is a nice flintlock pistol with proof markings and an interesting association with a Man-o-War that served at the battle of Trafalgar.