Pistol, horse pistol

This flintlock horse pistol was made by William Parker, who had a shop at 233 High Holborn. His workshop and stores were located on Chamber Street near the Tower of London. Most London gunmakers with corporate clients had premises in this area. Parker had a contract to produce weapons for the Board of Ordnance which was based in the Tower. During his highly successful career he made guns for members of the Royal Family, including William IV. He also had major corporate clients such as the East India Company and the Hudson Bay Company. Between 1807 and 1812 Parker was licensed by the Privy Council to export firearms abroad. He made high quality guns for clients in Constantinople, Smyrna, Malta, Bombay and Calcutta. Parker later supplied guns to the Metropolitan Police after it was founded in 1829.

Horse pistols were typically carried by cavalrymen. This weapon was made for private, non-military use however. It has a long rounded Spanish-type barrel and a spurred butt cap, which were out of fashion in London by this period. The pistol's stock has been decorated with silver inlaid stars and crescent moons. The barrel has been incised with foliate, moon and star patterns in gold. These fine decorative features suggest that this pistol was made for export to the Levantine or Indian markets. This would also explain the pistol's outmoded style. Parker has used a silver trigger guard by a Birmingham maker, probably Joseph Bunney. By this time it was quite common for London gunmakers to use parts manufactured in Birmingham as they were cheaper.