John Rigby founded his gunmaking company in 1775, and it continues to exist making fine rifles and shotguns to this day. He himself died in 1818, passing the business on to his son William, who was joined by John II (John Junior?) in the 1820s. During that time, they made not just rifles and shotguns but also a variety of pocket pistols for self defense at shops in both London and Dublin.

This pair is an interesting and unorthodox example of the type, with three barrels on each and a rotating striker on the hammer to select which barrel to fire. The selector rotates only clockwise, preventing the possibility of accidentally returning to a previously fired barrel under stress. The triggers fold up when the hammer is not cocked, preventing them from catching in a pocket and removing the need for a bulky trigger guard.