J. Probin (John Probin, Birmingham) .65 Caliber Flintlock Dueling Pistols
SOLD FOR: $3,275.00
LSB#: LSB250731KK002 / LSB250731KK003
Make: John Probin (Birmingham, England)
Model: Flintlock Dueling Pistols, Cased Pair
Serial Number: None – Antique Manufacture
Year of Manufacture: Circa 1820–1830, Antique
Caliber: .65 Caliber (approximately)
Action Type: Single Shot, Flintlock Pistols
Markings: Both pistols are marked “J. PROBIN” on the lockplate. The top flat of each barrel bears a gold inlaid cartouche marked “JOHN PROBIN BIRM.” with a crown hallmark. Each barrel also features a decorative gold ribbon at the breech. The furniture and lockplates display fine floral and scroll engraving, and the trigger guards are engraved with torch and acanthus or floral motifs.
Barrel Length: 10 3/4” Octagonal Barrels
Sights / Optics: Each pistol features a small blade front sight and a fixed rear notch milled into the tang.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The pistols are stocked in finely checkered English walnut with round butts and no caps. The wood shows light handling marks and minor age toning, but remains solid and finely figured. The forends each have their original ramrod pipes and decorative silver escutcheons intact. The checkering remains crisp with minimal flattening.
Type of Finish: Barrel “In the White,” Casehardened Lock, and Engraved Iron Furniture with Gold Inlay. There is bluing present on the trigger guard and ramrod keepers.
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bores are smoothbore and remain bright with well-maintained walls. There is no visible erosion or pitting. In this writer’s opinion, the bores rate 10/10.
Overall Condition: The pistols retain over 90% of their original finish and remain in Fine Antique condition. Both retain crisp engraving and bright gold inlay details. The barrels remain in the white as originally finished, showing light, age-appropriate handling marks. The locks retain faded case colors, while the trigger guards and thimbles show traces of original blue. The metal surfaces are free of significant oxidation, and the gold cartouches remain vibrant and legible. The wood is tight and well-fitted to the metal with sharp edges and minimal wear. The checkering and grip contours remain well defined.
Mechanics: The flintlocks function properly with strong mainsprings and secure half-cock safeties that engage and hold firmly. The locks also exhibit positive full-cock engagement and crisp trigger breaks, showing excellent mechanical integrity for their age. We did not fire these pistols. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment:
This exceptional pair of English flintlock dueling pistols represents the high art of Birmingham gunmaking in the 1820s, a decade when elegance and engineering met at the height of the dueling tradition. John Probin is recorded in Birmingham trade directories between 1820 and 1835 as a “Gun Maker, Loveday Street,” producing bespoke flint pistols for the gentry at a time when personal honor and precision craftsmanship were inseparable. His work is noted in several surviving cased sets cataloged by Bonhams and Holts, each sharing the same restrained gold inlay and meticulous lock engraving seen here.
The bright, in-the-white barrels on this pair remain as they left the bench—never browned or blued—accentuated by gold cartouches and fine engraved furniture that quietly display their maker’s confidence. Smoothbore .65 caliber barrels like these were favored for close-range accuracy, balancing recoil and velocity to deliver a deliberate, gentleman’s shot. The finely tuned half-cock safeties and crisp trigger releases speak to the precision of English lockwork at its peak, just before the percussion era transformed the trade.
It is easy to imagine these pistols resting in a fitted oak case, the soft light of dawn catching the gold ribbons at the breech as their owner prepared for a matter of honor. Beautifully balanced, mechanically sound, and remarkably preserved, they capture both the craftsmanship and the quiet tension of an age when art and danger shared the same line.
KF
