Three barrel pistol by J. BORTON

[corrado26]

A pair of interesting boxlockpistols with three barrels shows the name "J. BORTON" at the left side of both lock boxes. This name is neither listed in the Neue Stoeckel nor in any other list or book. Both pistols show the private proof marks of Birmingham between 1780 and 1800, so this could have been if not a gunmaker perhaps a dealer in or around Birmingham. Does anybody here have an idea who this J. BORTON was?

[fernando]

Hi Udo,

I read J. HORTON (circa 1740-50) .

[corrado26]

Firstly I also thought it was HORTON, but with a magnifier you can clearly see that it is BORTON. If this would be HORTON than the proofmarks wouldn't be correct- these are Birmingham private proof marks of 1780-1800 and the two gunmakers HORTON mentioned in the New Stoekel worked 40 years later around 1820-25

[fernando]

Funny thing; in the first image, where the letters are still 'solid', i do see a H and not a B.
You must have read the e-mail i sent you; why have Christie's 'invented' that J. HORTON was active 1740-1750.
It must be something else but, a family HORTON in the gun trade had an ancestor (Joshua) active in 1750.


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[corrado26]

Thanks Fernando. It is really hard to decice wether it is a B or an H, but after having read your email and the additions here I think you are right: It must be an H of the HORTON-family.

[fernando]

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