Firearms, in the antiques context, are historic guns such as matchlock, wheellock, flintlock and percussion pistols, muskets, rifles and fowling pieces, along with associated items like powder flasks, bullet moulds and cased accessories. They are collected for their historical importance, technical development and the fine craftsmanship of their locks, barrels, stocks and decoration.
The history of firearms spans several centuries of innovation, from early matchlock mechanisms through the flintlock, which dominated the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, to the percussion cap of the early nineteenth century and later breech-loading designs. Celebrated English gunmakers include Joseph Manton, Durs Egg, H. W. Mortimer and James Purdey, whose sporting guns and duelling pistols are particularly admired. Decoration may include engraved locks, silver mounts and finely figured walnut stocks. In the UK, the sale and possession of antique firearms is governed by law, and only weapons meeting the statutory definition of an antique, which since 2021 requires manufacture before 1 September 1939 and an obsolete ignition system or cartridge, are exempt from certification. Deactivated firearms must meet official specifications. Buyers should obtain specialist advice and documentation before buying, selling or exporting, as regulations are strict and change over time.
