Here’s a nice one I picked up at rendezvous this past August. A Daniel Ross of Edinburgh pistol. This would be an early percussion as Daniel Ross retired at age 49 around 1838-39. I’ve shown it to a few European collectors and they speculate that the engraving appears to have been done at Purdeys in London. Daniel Ross came from a wealthy Edinburgh family and the sign still hangs on his old shop. He also paid for the Ross Fountain which was a donation from him to the city of Edinburgh and is at the base of the cliffs of Edinburgh Castle.
He built pistol sets (like mine in flint and percussion), highland pistols and fine shotguns for military officers and aristocrats. This one would have been one of a set that were purchased by an officer headed to India and likely left with the engraver of his choice.
Bore is .57 smoothbore. Damascus barrel is Birmingham proofed. Most Scottish makers imported Birmingham barrels. Note the beautifully engraved tiger head on the tang.
He built pistol sets (like mine in flint and percussion), highland pistols and fine shotguns for military officers and aristocrats. This one would have been one of a set that were purchased by an officer headed to India and likely left with the engraver of his choice.
Bore is .57 smoothbore. Damascus barrel is Birmingham proofed. Most Scottish makers imported Birmingham barrels. Note the beautifully engraved tiger head on the tang.
