Update 3 June 2025 – the pistols sold at auction on 3 June for £22,680. Ned Cowell, Arms & Armour specialist at Woolley & Wallis auctioneers, said: “ This unique pair of pistols have a fascinating history and represent the pinnacle of the gunmaker’s art. We are pleased to have seen them into the care of the next proud owner.”

Woolley & Wallis auctioneers in the UK are to offer a pair of pistols from the private collection of the 1st Duke of Sussex (1773-1843). They were made by Francisco Targarona, Royal Armourer to the King of Spain, and are believed to have been a diplomatic gift from the Queen consort of Spain, Maria Luisa of Parma (1745-1819), wife of King Charles IV of Spain (1748-1819), with whom they were great friends.

UNITED KINGDOM. MAY 2025. A pair of pistols from the private collection of Prince Augustus Frederick, 1st Duke of Sussex (1773-1843), believed to have been a diplomatic gift from the Queen Consort of Spain, Maria Luisa of Parma (1745-1819), wife of King Charles IV of Spain (1748-1819), are to be auctioned in June. These rare Spanish .22 calibre Madrid lock pistols were made by the renowned Royal Armourer to the King of Spain, Francisco Targarona, around 1795. The Duke of Sussex maintained a close friendship with Maria Luisa of Parma (1745-1819), Queen Consort of Spain and wife of King Charles IV of Spain (1748-1819). The Duke of Sussex spent much of his early life on the Continent, and his correspondence shows that in 1790 he was a guest of Maria Luisa of Spain and the brother of King Charles IV of Spain (who became Holy Roman Empress that same year). He appears to have enjoyed Maria’s friendship, and it is believed that this cordial connection with the Spanish royal court is behind the gift of these pistols. This diplomatic gift signified the importance of the relationship between the two royal houses of Great Britain and Spain.

Prince Augustus Frederick (1773–1843) was the sixth son of King George III (1738–1820) and became Duke of Sussex (the first creation of the title) on 24 November 1801. He was highly regarded and noted for his advocacy of liberty and social reform. He was very close to his niece, the popular but unhappy Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales (1796–1817), supporting her in her strained relationship with her father George, Prince of Wales, later George IV (1762–1830). The Prince also had the honor of presenting his great-niece, Queen Victoria (1819–1901), with his weapon on her wedding day in 1840. During his lifetime, the Duke amassed a large collection of weapons, which were offered for auction (including his pistols) upon his death in 1843.

Ned Cowell, Director of Arms and Armor at Woolley and Wallis, said: “We are honored to offer such an exceptional pair of pistols from such a distinguished gunsmith with such a historic background.”

The rare pistols were crafted by the esteemed Spanish royal armorer Francisco Targarona, who was active from 1778 and became armorer to King Charles IV of Spain in 1792. He was one of the four principal armorers of the Royal Household, three of whom remained in a position of permanent appointment as Principal Armorer to the King, a post held only upon the death of the Principal Armorer. He eventually obtained this position and served the King until the Royal Household was disbanded at the outbreak of the Peninsular War (the Peninsular War of 1808–1814). Sadly, Targarona, like many others, would die in the war. Targarona’s craftsmanship is renowned, and the weapons he created remain highly sought-after today.

The two pistols can be ingeniously fitted together to create a single handgun and bear the Fran-Co. Targarona mark. They are highly decorative, with geometric and floral details in gold, and bear the title and name of the recipient in gold inlays on the barrels.

As for the technical details, Ned Cowell tells us: “The characteristic lock built by Spanish makers is the type known to collectors as the ‘Miquelet lock,’ distinguished by an external mainspring and bolts acting laterally through the strike plate. Highly refined locks derived from this type were unique to the best Madrid makers between 1700 and 1800 and are found on weapons of the highest quality.

The fluted stock is also typical of Madrid. The system for converting the two pistols into a single handgun is ingenious; the donor pistol has, instead of a true octagonal stock section, a sleeve of the same shape, from which its continuously round barrel is extracted after removing the key lock. The breech plug is shallow and grooved at the rear and can be easily removed to expose the female threads. The recipient pistol has a threaded muzzle, concealed in normal use, into which the donor barrel is screwed to form a snug fit. The piston rods are similarly combined, and the butt of the pistol grip is replaced by the shoulder pad. This demonstrates a truly remarkable level of workmanship.

The weapons are housed in a velvet-lined mahogany case with an oval silver plaque engraved on the lid: “Purchased at the sale of His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, 1845.” They are estimated to fetch between 20,000 and 30,000 pounds sterling at the sale of medals and coins, arms and armor to be held by Woolley & Wallis on June 3, 2025.

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Sandie Maylor
Press Chief
Woolley & Wallis
Email: sandie@maylorpr.com

 About Woolley & Wallis

Woolley & Wallis, founded in 1884, organizes thirty specialist sales events annually, spread across nine departments led by leading experts in their field. The salesroom prides itself on combining a high level of experience and professionalism with the friendly attitude and personal service that customers expect from this long-established firm.

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