Original Items: One-of-a-Kind Matched Pair. This is an exceptional matched pair of Scottish Highland percussion pistols by Richardson of Edinburgh, dating to approximately the 1830s and displaying nearly every feature a collector hopes to find on a high grade Scottish pistol of the period. Constructed primarily of engraved German silver and steel, both pistols feature dramatic ramshorn form butts, ball triggers, belt hooks, long spurred hammers, extensive engraved decoration, and silver wrist escutcheons engraved “Mac Farland / Loch Slòigh.” The inscription directly invokes Clan MacFarlane and its ancient war cry, Loch Slòigh, or “Loch Sloy,” traditionally translated as “The Loch of the Host.”

These very pistols were featured and test fired in the IMA series The Cache with Alex Cranmer, giving the pair an additional modern history alongside their considerable Scottish collector appeal.

The pistols were manufactured by Richardson of Edinburgh, a Scottish gunmaker active during the late Georgian and early Victorian period. Surviving Richardson firearms are known in institutional collections, including percussion pistols preserved by National Museums Scotland. The present pair, however, is considerably more elaborate than a typical pocket or belt pistol, combining the distinctive architecture of the traditional Scottish all-metal pistol with the percussion ignition system that was rapidly replacing flintlock arms during the first half of the 19th century.

Each pistol is extensively decorated. The steel barrels, locks, frames, and German silver furniture are covered with finely executed engraving, including stands of arms, Scottish thistles, scrolling foliage, geometric borders, and repeating ornamental patterns. Stands of arms appear prominently on the upper portions of the pistols, while the thistle decoration gives the pair an unmistakably Scottish character.

The use of German silver, a nickel alloy prized for its bright silver appearance and durability, became particularly fashionable on Scottish pistols during the 19th century. Against the darker steel lockwork and barrels, it produces an especially striking contrast.

The grips terminate in beautifully formed ramshorn style butts, a direct descendant of one of the most recognizable forms found on Scottish pistols of the 18th and early 19th centuries. Each pistol is also fitted with a substantial belt hook, allowing it to be carried at the waist, as well as a rounded ball trigger and a long, elegant percussion hammer.

The feature that elevates this pair beyond their already impressive workmanship is the matching silver escutcheon at each wrist, engraved:

Mac Farland
Loch Slòigh

The spelling Mac Farland is one of the historical variants associated with the broader MacFarlane name. More importantly, Loch Slòigh is the traditional rallying cry of Clan MacFarlane, one of the old Highland clans of the western Loch Lomond region.

The MacFarlanes traced their descent from the medieval Earls of Lennox and controlled lands around Arrochar and the western shore of Loch Lomond. Their traditional gathering place was Loch Sloy, a small Highland loch beneath Ben Vorlich. From it came their celebrated battle cry, “Loch Slòigh!”, generally interpreted as “The Loch of the Host” or gathering of the clan.

The clan's history was anything but quiet.

A MacFarlane chief was reportedly killed fighting for Scotland at the disastrous Battle of Flodden in 1513, where King James IV and a large portion of the Scottish nobility fell against the English army.

The clan suffered another major loss at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547, the last large pitched battle fought between England and Scotland before the Union of the Crowns. Chief Duncan MacFarlane was killed there along with numerous members of the clan.

Perhaps the most celebrated MacFarlane battlefield episode occurred at the Battle of Langside in 1568, fought between the forces of Mary, Queen of Scots, and those supporting the Regent Moray and the young James VI.

Andrew MacFarlane arrived with several hundred clansmen and struck the flank of Mary's army during the height of the fighting. Contemporary chronicler Raphael Holinshed credited the Highlanders with helping throw the Queen's forces into disorder. Clan tradition further records that the MacFarlanes captured three of Queen Mary's standards during the battle.

The clan's traditional motto, “This I'll Defend,” is associated with the crest granted following Langside and refers to the defense of the Crown. It should not be confused with Loch Slòigh, which was the clan's war cry and gathering call.

The MacFarlanes also acquired a considerably less respectable reputation.

For generations they were renowned for cattle lifting, particularly raids against neighboring Lowland and Highland families. Tradition holds that they preferred clear nights for these excursions, giving rise to the old expression “MacFarlane's Lantern” for the full moon, whose light supposedly helped the raiders drive stolen cattle through the hills.

The clan's geography made them particularly effective raiders. Their lands around Arrochar, Loch Lomond, and the steep country surrounding Loch Sloy provided hidden routes, glens, and mountain passes where cattle could quickly disappear from pursuit.

Their fortunes shifted repeatedly during the turbulent 16th and 17th centuries. While Andrew MacFarlane fought against Mary, Queen of Scots at Langside, later generations supported the Stuart monarchy. During the wars of the 17th century, Inveruglas Castle, one of the principal MacFarlane strongholds on Loch Lomond, was destroyed by forces associated with Cromwell's campaigns in Scotland.

The clan chiefs eventually lost much of their ancestral property through financial difficulties, with the remaining estates sold in the 18th century. The recognized chiefly line became dormant following the death of William MacFarlane in 1866, leaving Clan MacFarlane traditionally regarded as an armigerous clan without a currently recognized chief.

All of this makes the Mac Farland / Loch Slòigh inscriptions on these pistols particularly evocative. They were not simply generic Scottish decoration. Whoever commissioned or owned the pair deliberately chose the name and ancient rallying cry of a clan with centuries of military, political, and Highland history behind it.

Mechanically, both pistols are percussion fired muzzleloaders in approximately .46 caliber, with 6 inch barrels and an overall length of approximately 11 inches each. Their matching construction, engraving, and inscriptions confirm that they were intended from the outset as a pair rather than two pistols later assembled together.

The combination of Richardson of Edinburgh manufacture, matching Highland form, ramshorn butts, extensive engraving, Scottish thistles, stands of arms, belt hooks, German silver construction, and matching “Mac Farland / Loch Slòigh” escutcheons makes this a particularly impressive set of Scottish percussion pistols. Add their appearance and test firing on The Cache with Alex Cranmer, and the pair has both substantial 19th century historical interest and a documented modern connection to the IMA series.

For an advanced collector of Scottish arms, Highland pistols, clan related artifacts, Edinburgh gunmaking, percussion firearms, or decorative 19th century weapons, this matched pair has exceptional visual presence and a powerful connection to one of the Highlands' most colorful clan histories.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1830-1840
Maker: Richardson of Edinburgh
Caliber: .46"
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 6 Inches
Overall Length: 11 Inches
Action: Percussion Cap
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

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Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.