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William Cole Arms Collection
Image: Shotgun - Manton
Source: Museum Victoria
Private collecting of antique firearms in Australia was still in its infancy at the point William Cole (1864-1952) started acquiring items in the early 20th century.
A paint merchant, musician and collector, Cole had an eye for quality and had developed an appreciation for the work of the English gunmakers at the end of the 18th century and early 19th century. Even so, a particularly high quality Colt 1849 Pocket revolver in the museum collections sold by Melbourne gundealer James Rosier, highlights his unrestricted tastes and what appears to have been the overriding criteria of condition and quality.
Cole made his earliest donations to the Museum in 1918 - an English sporting rifle by R.M. Reiley (ST 11114), and related ammunition (ST 15802).
William donated the bulk of his collection to the Museum in September 1943, and it is listed in the archival correspondence surrounding the donation in the following terms: 'It comprises 121 flint and percussion pistols and revolvers, 18 cases of pistols (pairs) with accessories complete, 6 blunderbusses, 29 flint and percussion long arms, 31 powder flasks and belts, 2 burglar alarms, 1 trap gun, and 1 miscellaneous assortment of gun tools, cartridges, etc. The firearms are in excellent condition and many of them are related to that period when London gun-makers developed the tradition of fine craftsmanship which, to this day, is unequalled anywhere in the world. The gift is an outstanding one in view of the fact that old firearms are becoming scarcer, prices higher and finds few and far between.'
The collection was later described as 'the largest single collection of antique firearms in Australia', while Russell Grimwade, Melbourne businessman, Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria and noted philanthropist, would sing Cole's praises in his foreword to the Museum's catalogue of its arms collection stating 'Victoria is fortunate, largely by the generosity of one donor, in the possession of a very complete array of firearms' (Penrose 1949).
The collection includes pistols, rifles and shotguns made by leading English, Scottish and Irish gunmakers in the late 18th and 19th centuries, including Durs Egg, John Manton, Robert Wogdon and Samuel Nock. The collection also includes a number of contemporary Birmingham forgeries of famous makers. The collection also includes a cased pair of percussion pistols by London gunsmith T. J. Mortimer in the 1830s, that are significant for having been owned by Thomas Alexander Browne, who as Rolf Boldrewood wrote the Australian classic Robbery Under Arms (1888).
William Cole died on 17 March 1952 at Cheltenham, having left provision for additional items of his collection to be donated to the Museum after his death. This wish was fulfilled in the following years by his only remaining daughter, Doris. Many of these later items seem to have been particularly treasured items, or Cole's own sporting rifles. It includes the Martini actioned sporting rifle (ST 23868) presented by William Cole to his son Cleveland. Doris Cole also donated a portrait photograph of her father holding one of his pair of pistols by the famous English maker Durs Egg.
Related Narratives:
William Edwin James Cole, Gun Collector (1864-1952)
References:
The Argus (Melbourne), 5 January 1929
Penrose, Edgar Howard, 1949. Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection of Firearms in the Museum of Applied Science of Victoria, Melbourne, Trustees of the National Museums of Victoria
The Standard (Frankston), 31 August 1950; 20 March 1952
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 1 - 10) 264 items
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Shotgun - John Manton, London, Flintlock, 1803
Double barrelled shotgun 19 gauge .625. Side by side twist steel barrels 32 in. (813 mm) long. Flintlock. Made by John Manton, London, serial number 3983, 1803.
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 2 -
Blunderbuss - Bellmouth, John Twigg, London, circa 1780
Flintlock blunderbuss, cal. 29mm at muzzle, steel smooth bore round bellmouthed damascus barrel, 36.00cm long, with sprung triangular bayonet, 27.60cm long, mounted on barrel upper, bay ...
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 1 -
Musket - Brown Bess, 2nd Model, England, late 18th century
Flintlock British service musket, 2nd model Brown Bess (Short or New Land pattern), cal. 9 bore (.800 - model often cited as .75 calibre; the enlarged dimension may be the result of wea ...
From: Melbourne, Australia Images: 1 -
Pistol - Belgium, Percussion, circa 1850
Percussion pocket pistol, cal. 12 mm. Fitted with spring bayonet. Screw off smooth bore fancy octagonal barrel 3 3/8 in. (86 mm) long. Made in Belgium, circa 1850.
From: Melbourne, Australia Images: 3 -
Shot Belt - Leather & Brass
Alternative Name(s): Shot Pouch, Shot Snake Double leather shot belt with adjustable brass chargers. The two pouches would allow shot and gunpowder to be carried together, or be used f ...
Images: 1 -
Pistol - Twigg, London, Flintlock, circa 1770
One of a pair of flintlock pocket pistols, pair, cal. 35 bore (approx. .510), screw off steel smoothbore cannon barrel, 6.30cm long. Made by John Twigg, London, 1760-1780.
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 1 -
No Image Available
Case - Pair of Pistols, Durs Egg, London, Flintlock Conversion, circa 1800
Percussion duelling pistols, pair, cased, converted from flintlock, cal. .490 in, smoothbore browned damascus steel octagonal barrel 25.30cm (10 in) long. Made by Durs Egg, London, cir ...
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 0 -
No Image Available
Case - Pair of Pistols, Henry Nock, London, Percussion, circa 1790
Cased pair of percussion pistols, double barrelled, cal. 31 bore (.531 in.). Made by Henry Nock, London, late 18th century.
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 0 -
Case - Pair of Pistols, Henry Nock, London. Percussion, 1780s-1790s
Cased pair of percussion pocket pistols, cal. 43 bore (.475). Made by Henry Nock, London, late 18th century.
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 1 -
Blunderbuss - Bellmouth, John Collis, Oxford, circa 1790
Flintlock blunderbuss, cal. 29mm at muzzle, steel smooth bore bellmouthed half octagonal half round barrel, 37.60cm long, with sprung triangular bayonet, 27.60cm long, mounted on barrel ...
From: Oxford, United Kingdom Images: 1
