Door Lock Pistols of King George-III

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Vikram
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Door Lock Pistols of King George-III

Post by Vikram » Mon Jan 29, 2018 1:38 am

https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/coll ... /door-lock

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Description
George III was presented with this somewhat macabre object by its maker, William Walls, in 1765. It would certainly have appealed to the King's interest in scientific instruments and machinery. The mechanism incorporates two pistols and is so designed that when an unwary intruder tampered with it, alarm bells (now missing) would start ringing and the pistols would fire. The drawbacks of such a mechanism however, were pointed out when it was described in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1765: 'honest inadvertent people might suffer by it, who not being always recollected, might forget the danger, tho' apprized of it and suffer for their want of memory'. William Walls, about whom nothing else is known, was described in the Gentleman's Magazine as a 'Birmingham manufacturer'. The barrels of the flintlock guns, however, are stamped with the mark used - from 1741 onwards - on the work of non-members of the London Gunmakers' Company, proved in the Company's proof-house.

Engraved WILLM WALLS / FECIT and dated 1761

Catalogue entry adapted from George III & Queen Charlotte: Patronage, Collecting and Court Taste, London, 2004
Provenance

Presented by the maker to George III, 1765
People involved
Creator(s)
William Walls (active 1761)
(maker)
Acquirer(s)
George III, King of the United Kingdom (1738-1820)
Physical properties
Medium and techniques
steel,
mahogany,
iron,
black paint,
gold paint,
brass,
copper-zinc alloys,
gilt
silver plated,
engraved (incised),
pierced
Measurements

20.3 x 35.6 x 5.7 cm (whole object)
It ain’t over ’til it’s over! "Rocky,Rocky,Rocky....."

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sumbriavikramaditya
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Re: Door Lock Pistols of King George-III

Post by sumbriavikramaditya » Mon Jan 29, 2018 3:28 pm

Hi, it is a great engineering piece by the time it was manufactured. But yes is will be fatal for those who might insert a wrong key my mistake in these locks.

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goodboy_mentor
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Re: Door Lock Pistols of King George-III

Post by goodboy_mentor » Mon Jan 29, 2018 5:05 pm

Clever piece of engineering but a very careless and irresponsible idea.
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Ajaaybeer
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Re: Door Lock Pistols of King George-III

Post by Ajaaybeer » Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:43 pm

Its a good specimen and must have attracted the interest of dukes . There have been a number of conspiracies among Royals of England and every one has dirty secrets at such high seats.
This seems to be a choice of those who wanted to secure their archives . Could have been perfect locks on a Royal safe.
Who knows maybe they were put to use too.
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a WELL-ARMED lamb contesting the vote!

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

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