“Clockwork Basilisk: The Early Revolvers of Elisha Collier and Artemas Wheeler” is available right now for preorder on Kickstarter:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/headstamp/clockwork-basilisk?ref=4gzkeh
Today I’m again joined by Professor Ben Nicholson, author of the newest Headstamp Publishing book, Clockwork Basilisk. We are discussing the different sorts of fake and reproduction Collier revolvers, although the subject is pertinent to many other highly desirable antiques. A few of the points considered:
– Fraud for profit vs reproduction homage
– Value of fakes
– Faking pre- and post-internet
– Provenance and its importance
Shame that they won’t make a copy of this in Italy Another weapon of the same time period they could copy is the GIRARDONI military air rifle
A light calvary unit with these 2 arms would have been formidable during the Napoleonic wars
Liability with the pressure baring vessel blocks any Girardoni repros. An Adams repro is ahead of Collier in the line for repro.
I will not buy any more Headstamp books, because of shipping cost and UPS gangsterism, unless I am really interested in the subject. I really had not the slightest sniff of an interest in Colliers, but these selling videos are some of the best videos on forgottenweapons for a while. I still ain’t buying, but I am re-engaged with the channel. Thank you.
Davide
Funny you mention the Met and fake/forgeries. Ask an armor historian about the Dean Panoply they keep on display prominently sometime…
Another really great, insightful and enjoyable discussion with Dr. Nicholson. Keep up the fantastic work!
It would be easy to hide a modern pressure bottle within a copy of Girardoni stock. In fact I believe somebody has already done this for a copy of a flintlock/ airgun with one of those round air bottles under the lock
I actually have 2 pressure vessels from the suspension of a Citroen DS as they are round and good for up to 350 Bar with the idea of doing something similar
check youtube,saw a guy shooting a re-pop Girardoni yeares ago
Ian, you must find someone who will shoot any flint revolver on camera. It must be a minimum of two shot. Good luck