Small Boxlock Flintlock Pistol by Samuel H. Staudenmayer, Circa 1815

This diminutive boxlock pistol is very finely made. It has a turn-off barrel, sliding safety and a folding trigger. The safety is located on top of the action. With the pistol half cocked and the frizzen closed, sliding the safety forward locks both the cock (hammer) and the frizzen. The trigger remains recessed until the safety is released and the pistol is fully cocked. "STAUDENMAYER" and "LONDON" is engraved on the side of the breech below the flashpan. Two Birmingham proof marks are stamped on the bottom of breech, a double crossed scepter over "V" (the "view mark") and a double crossed scepter containing "B", "P", and "C" (the gun-makers proof).

Samuel Staudenmayer was born January 25, 1767 in Kirchberg an der Murr, Wurttemberg. He moved to England sometime before 1794, when his marriage to Elizabeth Robotham was recorded at the Church of St. James, Piccadilly (1) . He was a valued employee of the famous gunmaker John Manton (2) . In 1799 he opened his own business at 35 Cockspur Street (3) . The location is just south of Trafalgar Square in central London. Staudenmayer was appointed a gunmaker to both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York. He is the maker of a Girandoni-system air rifle in the Royal Collection at Windsor (inventory number: L 409) and is widely credited for being the first gunmaker to bring the air rifle design to London. (4) . Mr. Shaun Brown has made an extensive study of Samuel Staudenmayer which was published in Arms Collecting Magazine . I have relied heavily on the research of Mr. Brown (4) for the information presented here.

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