• Title
  Pair of flintlock pistols belonging to Captain John Piper, c. 1800-1815 / made by McCormick of Belfast
• Creator
  John Piper, 1773-1851
• Call number
  SAFE/R 1018/Item a
  SAFE/R 1018/Item b
  SAFE/R 1018/Item c
  SAFE/R 1018/Item d
  
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  Between 1800 and ca. 1815
• Type of material
  Objects
• Reference code
  824707
• Issue Copy
  Digitised
• Physical Description
  2 matching flintlock pistols - steel barrels stamped 008660 (R 1018a) and 008661 (R 1018b). Broken hammer and pan-cover spring (R 1018b). Fitted with Refurbished wooden stocks, 1970s
  2 burnt wooden pistol stocks (R 1018c-d) - original, heavily fire-damaged wooden stocks belonging to pistols R 1018a-b
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  Mr F. M. Piper presented to the Mitchell Library on 13 January 1926 items which belonged to his grandfather, Captain John Piper. The donation comprised these two pistols and two swords.
  
  The presentation was made on behalf of William, James, Arthur, Hilton, Claud, and Frank M. Piper, all grandsons of Captain John Piper.
  
  The pistols were received with wooden stocks which had been burnt by fire early in 1925 in Bathurst. The pistols were fitted with new wooden stocks by the Antique Arms Dealers Association in the 1970s.
• Collection history
  The pistols and swords were presented to the Mitchell Library in January 1926 and were on long-term loan to the Vaucluse Park Trust in April 1928. While at Vaucluse House, refurbished wooden stocks were fitted to the pistols. The pistols were returned to the Mitchell Library between February 1984 and December 1988, and the original burnt wooden stocks returned in November 1989.
• Scope and Content
  Notes compiled for the Mitchell Library, c. 1989:
  
  The pistols are a matching pair or "brace". They are probably not duelling pistols since the barrels would have been too shiny; they were probably gentleman's pistols for self-defence, or target pistols. McCormick was in Belfast between 1800 and circa 1815.
  
  The pistols are numbered on the barrels 008660 and 008661. Number 008661 is in worse repair than the other, having its hammer broken off at the stem and the pan-cover spring broken. The decoration on the finials is a "pineapple" type on a pedestal. All steel is shiny - none is blued. The handles are checkered wood. There are no metal butt-plates.
  
  The end of the ram rod screws off; there was probably a cleaning kit which is no longer with the pistols, which had brushes, swabs and so forth which could be attached to the ram rod and used for cleaning purposes. The ram rod with number 008661 is of wood with a metal end, the other ram rod is of metal.
  
  The barrel and trigger assembly and side-lock plate are all of steel. Chasings including finial are of silver. The pan on both is lined with brass and there are brass chasings at the receiver end of the barrel.
  
  References:
  English, Irish and Scottish firearms makers, by A. Merwyn Casey; British pistols and guns, 1640-1840, by Jan Glendenning; Weapons through the ages, by William Reid
• Access Conditions
  
  Access via appointment
• General note
  
  Digital order no:Album ID : 981231
• Topic
  pistols
  
• Exhibited in
  
  Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection - State Library of New South Wales (April 2009 - March 2010)
  Macquarie the Governor, 1810 to 1821 - Macquarie Bank (May 2012 - May 2013). Applies to: R 1018/item a
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE430053

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