Holland Banbury percussion pistol - The Firearms Forum

beanpole · 07-25-2012, 07:54 AM

I have a percussion pistol I purchased 40-50 years ago. It is marked Holland Banbury on the left side. The main body is all engraved brass. The hammer has little marks on it that looks like fish scales. The wood grip looks like cherry and has flat sides and a rounded butt. On the underside of the round barrel is a little slotted piece of metal with what looks like crossed swords? in front of it. Just behind it, on the brass in front of the wide trigger guard is another stamp that looks like crossed swords. I do have a bill of sale for the weapon, (if I can find it) where it shows it was originally purchased at a shop in England in I believe it was the 50's. I think it is probably somewhere in the 50+ caliber range. It is excellent condition. No serious pitting, no cracks in the wood. Will post pictures as soon as we can get some good ones taken. Thank you.

hrf · 07-25-2012, 08:51 AM

Banbury is an English town SE of Birmingham and the "crossed swords" are probably the crossed scepters Birmingham proofmarks.

Boothroyd's Directory of British Gunmakers does not list a Holland in Banbury and he may have just been a retailer.

jack404 · 07-25-2012, 09:19 AM

Ok there was a big investigation into this , seems history recorded a famous gunmaker from one place , and the facts where wrong , it started here

read the story

http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/new...ction-1-593310

later it was stated by a heap of experts that the gun was a early holland and holland , and possibly before the partnership

they now know one of the hollands came from Banbury and was based in the mill there , but had a shop and smith in London and thats where his mark was registered too , and why folks always thought he was from there . look up holland london you'll find him (Henry William Harris Holland or as the register notes on his trades certificate Henry William Harris he apprenticed with his uncle THE Holland went out on his own and they partnered in 1876 ) , as he was not a socialite and kept to himself not much is known of this gent while the other was well kniown and rather flamboyant ,

so it's yet to be made official , but the consensus is its pre holland and holland and already the prices have gone up to match

http://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com...0926&saletype=

beanpole · 08-13-2012, 06:26 AM

I posted pictures of the Holland Banbury, but we put them on the original post and I do not know how to update them so people will see them as new posts?

jack404 · 08-13-2012, 06:30 AM

Nice little box lock typical of the period

i have a Knock Bros almost identical

07-25-2012, 07:54 AM	#1
beanpole Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Northeastern Indiana Posts: 21	Holland Banbury percussion pistol I have a percussion pistol I purchased 40-50 years ago. It is marked Holland Banbury on the left side. The main body is all engraved brass. The hammer has little marks on it that looks like fish scales. The wood grip looks like cherry and has flat sides and a rounded butt. On the underside of the round barrel is a little slotted piece of metal with what looks like crossed swords? in front of it. Just behind it, on the brass in front of the wide trigger guard is another stamp that looks like crossed swords. I do have a bill of sale for the weapon, (if I can find it) where it shows it was originally purchased at a shop in England in I believe it was the 50's. I think it is probably somewhere in the 50+ caliber range. It is excellent condition. No serious pitting, no cracks in the wood. Will post pictures as soon as we can get some good ones taken. Thank you. Attached Images --> Last edited by beanpole; 07-30-2012 at 11:26 AM..

07-25-2012, 08:51 AM	#2
hrf Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,283	Re: Holland Banbury percussion pistol Banbury is an English town SE of Birmingham and the "crossed swords" are probably the crossed scepters Birmingham proofmarks. Boothroyd's Directory of British Gunmakers does not list a Holland in Banbury and he may have just been a retailer.

07-25-2012, 09:19 AM	#3
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: Holland Banbury percussion pistol Ok there was a big investigation into this , seems history recorded a famous gunmaker from one place , and the facts where wrong , it started here read the story http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/new...ction-1-593310 later it was stated by a heap of experts that the gun was a early holland and holland , and possibly before the partnership they now know one of the hollands came from Banbury and was based in the mill there , but had a shop and smith in London and thats where his mark was registered too , and why folks always thought he was from there . look up holland london you'll find him (Henry William Harris Holland or as the register notes on his trades certificate Henry William Harris he apprenticed with his uncle THE Holland went out on his own and they partnered in 1876 ) , as he was not a socialite and kept to himself not much is known of this gent while the other was well kniown and rather flamboyant , so it's yet to be made official , but the consensus is its pre holland and holland and already the prices have gone up to match http://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com...0926&saletype= Last edited by jack404; 07-25-2012 at 09:25 AM..

08-13-2012, 06:26 AM	#4
beanpole Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Northeastern Indiana Posts: 21	Re: Holland Banbury percussion pistol I posted pictures of the Holland Banbury, but we put them on the original post and I do not know how to update them so people will see them as new posts?

08-13-2012, 06:30 AM	#5
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: Holland Banbury percussion pistol Nice little box lock typical of the period i have a Knock Bros almost identical