John Harcourt, Ipswich. Exceptionally fine 12-bore double barreled “Coach Gun” with deadly 15” spring-loaded bayonet, hinged at the muzzle, then folded back over the top rib and latched with a release mechanism on the false breech, ca. 1790. Weight: 7 Lbs. Stock Dimensions: 14 3/8”x 1 ¼”x 2 5/8”x straight. Beautifully forged 18”octagon skelp Damascus barrels with excellent bores (.728"/.729") and breeches retain a fair amount of an old re-brown finish. Each of the barrels have a beautiful deep struck gold Poincon’ identifying the maker. There are single wide gold bands inlaid at the breeches, along with gold-lined touch holes showing little evidence of use. The nicely engraved false breech retains traces of the original finish with no wear and no corrosion whatever. Absolutely peerless quality locks with gold-lined pans, and sliding safeties latching the tumbler at half-cock. Both locks are mechanically perfect with fancy bridles and all internal parts retaining most of the original fire-blue finish. The stock has a very few minor repairs, none of which affect the strength or structural integrity. Overall fine condition throughout, mechanically absolutely perfect, and very unusual for a coach gun to be of this high quality. Originally, this incredibly formidable piece would have been used for guard duty by law enforcement, private security guards at banks, coaches, shipments of valuable cargo of any situation where close quarter potentially deadly security was required.
For a thoroughly fascinating and informative treatise on such use of "Coach Guns" in general, and this gun specifically, please refer to the May/June, 2021, issue of MUZZLELOADER
magazine and the article,
"Death To The Highwayman" by Ted Franklin Belue, pp 92 - 103.