This is an extremely attractive Carbine Bore Percussion Overcoat Pistol made by the London gunmaker John Prosser (c1770-1860). Prosser had a long and successful career in London, where he entered the trade as an apprentice to James Callum a Royal Sword Maker who had established his business in 1741. Upon Callum’s death in 1786 the business passed to Callum’s wife and son, Thomas with Prosser staying on to finish his apprenticeship. Thomas died in 1790 at the young age of 38 and the business passed to his wife Mary, who retained Prosser’s services as her “shopman”. In 1795 Mary died of poor health and with no heirs and in her will she passed the business to John Prosser. That same year Prosser received the royal appointment of “Sword Cutler and Beltmaker in ordinary” to King George III and would receive the same status from George IV in 1827. In 1796 he registered his silversmith’s mark. That same year he was listed as a “Sword Cutler & Gunmaker” in the London directories at 9 Charring Cross where he would remain from 1796-1853. He relocated to 37 Charring Cross in 1854 where he remained until 1860. In 1800 he received British Patent #2454 for an “Improved breech” and a “Waterproof hammer and pan.” Prosser was approaching 90 years when he left the trade in 1860 due to his death. Although his exact date of birth is not clear, it is estimated that he was 26 when he took over the Callum business in 1795.

The gun has a 5 ¼” octagonal smoothbore barrel and is “carbine bore” which is .65 caliber. The barrel has a Damascus patterned browned finish and is retained by a single wedge and the hook of the break off breech. The top flat of the barrel is engraved 

CHARRING – CROSS – LONDON

with a gold band and lightly engraved geometric patterns at the breech. There is a blade front sight 3/8” from the muzzle and a fixed notch rear sight mounted on the breech tang. The tang is decorated with crisp foliate engraving. The flat stepped and bolted percussion lock is color casehardened and engraved with foliate motifs at the front and tail and with a border line.  The name PROSSER is engraved under the bolster on the lock. The percussion hammer is engraved ensuite. The lock is retained by a single engraved convex head screw with a steel escutcheon and is numbered 70 on the interior. The iron furniture is engraved with foliate motifs as well, including the flat bottomed elongated triggerguard with urn motif finial and the base of the lobed buttcap. The number 1130 is stamped in individual dies in the belly of the stock between the front of the triggerguard finial and the entry pipe. A baluster turned iron thimble and iron entry pipe secure a wooden ramrod. The pistol is stocked to the muzzle and had an obtuse grip angle with a rudimentary fish-tail shaped butt that is reminiscent of Irish pistols produced by Rigby during the 1840s. The grip is finely checkered. Simple carved moldings are present at the tail of the lock mortise and the counterpane. The small parts, barrel wedge, rear sight and iron furniture were blued.

The pistol remains in VERY FINE condition with the barrel retaining about 90%+ of the Damascus patterned brown finish, exhibiting some dulling and fading as well as some minor fading along the high edges and contact points. The engraved decorations and address remain clear and crisp. The barrel shows some freckled surface oxidation and some small, scattered areas of minor surface roughness. The bore is FINE as well, remaining nice and smooth and partly bright with patches of oxidized discoloration. The lock retains about 70%+ of its case-colored finish with the most vivid mottled colors between the hammer and the bolster and with the edges of the lock showing the most fading, dulling and loss. The lock retains crisp markings and engraving and is mechanically excellent. The lock functions crisply on all positions and the bolted half-cock safety functions as well, although it is a little stiff. The triggerguard and butt cap have a please, smoothly oxidized brown patina with crisp engraving and some lightly scattered surface roughness. They retain no finish. The ramrod pipes have a similar patina with some traces of blue and the barrel wedge and screws all retain some traces of finish. The wood remains crisp with fine crisp checkering on the grip and well-defined edges and moldings. The wood shows some scattered bumps, dings and mars from carry, handling and use but shows no abuse.

Overall, this is a really attractive and high condition large bore overcoat pistol by a long time London gunmaker in a really lovely state of preservation. This is one of those guns that looks even better in your hand than in photos and will certainly be a fine addition to your collection.