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This is a William Ketland make ('W.Ketland' engraved on the tale of the lock). Willliam Ketland was arguably Birmingham's finest gunsmith of the late 18th century, one of the founder members of the Birmingham proof house, which the government established in the 1790s to help with the proof of military arms. The stockmaker's initials (WH) are punched into the inside of the lock recess. It has a nine inch barrel with private proof stamps visible only under the stock on the left hand side of the barrel. The lock is of excellent quality, with a roller frizen. There has been a repair to the neck of the hammer, viz the blue tint to the face. There has also been a neatly executed repair to the fore-end under the original iron rammer. One rarely encounters a stock of this period on a military pistol with this much original finish evident throughout. |