Readers familiar with my short story, “Lord Lovedon’s Duel,” (recently reissued in the Royal Bridesmaids anthology and one of the two stories in the Royally Ever After duet) will remember the Singing Bird Pistols. In case anybody was wondering, yes, they’re real.
Some years ago, reader Ammie sent me a link she believed a Nerdy History Girl like me would enjoy. I was wowed, and the pistols became part of the inspiration for the novella.
This link will take you to the video I watched over and over: The Only Known Pair of Matching Singing Bird Pistols – Attributed to Frères Rochat | Christie's.
I and others did wonder how the pistols had survived, let alone survived in pristine condition. Apparently, they weren’t pristine. This video, which another reader, Kafryn W Lieder, was so good as to send me, tells the impressive story of their restoration.
Since not everybody’s screen of choice works quite the same, and some people who receive the blog via email see only a square, rectangle, or blank where the video ought to be, below are the respective links to the videos with their YouTube titles.
The Only Known Pair of Matching Singing Bird Pistols – Attributed to Frères Rochat | Christie's
Parmigiani Fleurier - Restoration "The Pistol and its Songbird"