ALEXANDER MARTIN APPRENTICE PISTOLS

EVERY firearm has a purpose. Whether intended for hunting waterfowl or fighting wars, there is always an intrinsic reason for that gun’s being. While this is an indisputable fact, there are occasions when a firearm’s raison d’être is not readily obvious. A prime example of this obscurity lies in the collection of the Royal Armouries. This delightful little pair of pistols hails from the workshop of Alexander Martin, a Glasgow gunmaker, dating to around 1845. The guns were made by an apprentice working under Martin, demonstrating the skills that they had learnt by producing a complete pair of miniature pistols. As such, these pistols’ purpose is merely to exist as an expression of their maker’s learned knowledge under one of Scotland’s more notable gunmakers of the age.

While the name of the apprentice has been lost, the legacy of Martin still lives on. Martin inherited the family business in Glasgow in 1837, which would mean these pistols were some of the earliest pieces to come from the workshop in his time. First working from Trongate, Martin moved to Exchange Square in 1844, where these pistols were made. Martin’s business continued long after his death, notably producing a ‘ribless’ shotgun in the 20th century and expanding to include shops in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. The company finally closed down around 1988, having been acquired in 1960 by John Dickson & Son. However, many of the items in the Martin warehouse in Glasgow were presented to Glasgow Museums as the ‘Martin Collection’, and here they remain to this day.

Largely following the classic percussion turn-off style, with boxlock actions, folding triggers and finely chequered walnut grips bearing silver escutcheons, these pistols also feature barrels fluted along their entire length. This goes hand in hand with an inverse pattern cut into the muzzles, which, though rather crudely formed, are used with a key on the end of the bullet mould to turn off the barrels, although this pattern also serves as a nice complement to the barrels’ external decoration. Meanwhile, the locks carry scrollwork engravings on the sides and the top tang is signed ‘MARTIN GLASGOW’. Alongside the pistols are the typical accoutrements: a mould for the .22in round bullets these pistols would fire, a silver powder flask, a lacquered cap tin, and a very Scottish bullet box shaped like a tam o’ shanter with a tartan pattern on the outside.

Of course, it would not be a true test of the apprentice’s skills were their handiwork to be left unproven, and so accordingly each of these pistols was sent to the Birmingham Proof House. Both survived, and the stamps on their barrels are a sure sign of their maker’s prowess.

The Martin apprentice pistols can be viewed by appointment at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, the national museum of arms and armour. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Pre-booking essential. Tel 0113 220 1916; royalarmouries.org