Once upon a time a gentleman might learn the importance of good manners the hard way. If rude to a fellow aristocrat or lady in the 18th or early 19th century it was quite possible you could end up being challenged to a duel. Before you knew it there would be pistols at dawn and the prospects of a painful death.
It is this romantic sense of honour and daring among the ruling classes, where risking life was preferable to losing face, which has led to a soaring demand for collectable vintage duelling pistols – and prices rising by up to 50% in the past decade.
