A Joseph Egg pocket pistol, known as a “Baby Egg”
Two of my favorite Regency-era gunmakers are Durs Egg and his nephew, Joseph Egg. Readers may note that they both make cameo appearances in several of my books, including Murder at the Serpentine Bridge and Murder at Somerset House. Si thought I’d give you a little background on these two extraordinary craftsmen, and why their weapons were innovative.
Durs Egg was born in Switzerland, trained in Paris for a bit, and then came to London where he set up shop. Egg was a meticulous man, paid attention to the small details that make his weapons renowned for their precision and performance. He also paid attention to the decorative details, so his pistols were also much admired for their beauty. He became a great favorite of such notables as the Prince of Wales and Arthur Wellesley—later, the Duke of Wellington.
Side-lock “pocket” pistols were a particular specialty of his nephew, Joseph Egg, who worked with Durs in his shop. (I have been lucky enough to handle a “Baby Egg,” as they are known, as well as a Dure Egg dueling pistol, and it was truly an amazing experience.) Diminutive in size, “Baby Eggs” were prized for their precision craftsmanship and jewel-like quality, Their novel single-trigger mechanism allowed for the barrels to be fired in succession with two pulls of the trigger. Egg made pocket pistols for the Prince of Wales after he became Prince Regent and his younger brother, Prince Frederick Augustus, Duke of York and Albany.
Firearms technology advanced at an extraordinary pace in Europe in the early nineteenth century. And London’s elite gunmakers, led by innovative men like the Eggs, who set their sights on optimizing accuracy, ease of handling, and speed to meet the expectations of England’s sporting gentry, were at the forefront of its development.
Building on design advancements made in the 1780s and 1790s, especially concerning the refinement of the flintlock ignition mechanism, the London contingent earned patents for inventing a dazzling variety of new technologies, ranging from improved lock mechanisms to cutting-edge barrel-making techniques. Crafted with remarkable precision and attention to detail, many London firearms of the era showcased not only remarkable technical innovation but were also objects of great beauty. As I often mention in my books, these advances in technologies reflect thow quickly the Industrial Revolution kicked into high gear in Britain—a period that celebrated the innovations and accomplishments of individual inventors and engineers.
