On Thursday, a pistol that once belonged to British explorer Captain James Cook, the first to assert Australia’s claim for Britain nearly two and a half centuries ago, was auctioned for $219,600, surpassing the highest estimate set by the auctioneers.
The pistol, made of brass and crafted in the early 18th century as a Continental Flintlock holster model, features a 13-bore barrel created by Dutch gunmaker Godefroi Corbau Le Jeune. Its pre-sale estimate ranged from $100,000 to $200,000.
Belonging to a rare collection of personal items associated with the explorer, the firearm was acquired by a private buyer hailing from Victoria, Australia, as reported by Cassandra Hilber from Leski Auctions.
She noted, “There was significant interest from New Zealand as well.”
In April 1770, Cook became the first documented European to reach Australia’s coast, having previously charted the coastline of New Zealand. In August of that year, he hoisted the British flag on Possession Island, located in northern Queensland.
It remains unclear whether Cook possessed the pistol when he initially set foot on Australian soil.
Following his arrival, Cook undertook two additional exploratory voyages to the Pacific and met his end in Hawaii in 1779.
The pistol was kept within the Cook family for over 200 years before former Melbourne Lord Mayor Ron Walker purchased it at an auction in Edinburgh in 2003.
