Huvius - I have thought long and hard about this subject since first viewing the post

I have not posted before because of Nordmann's obvious and well deserved enthusiasm

These are a pair of best, museum quality "Officer's", Gentleman's" or 'Traveller's" pistols from a top class London Gunmaker,
that may well, had the owner been in India, used as "Howdah" pistols

I have six double barrelled pistols, of which 3 or 4 could be considered "Howdah" pistols

I have an almost identical (in size and style) pistol by Wilson of London which is a "Gentleman's" pistol

I paid a lot of money for a "Baby Howdah" (posted somewhere here) in .500 X 1.5 " that is, on reflection a transition cartridge pistol before revolvers superseded them

These are, in my opinion, examples of "Howdah" pistols, barrels 8 - 11+ inches long, overall length 16 - 18 inches

This post is in no way intends to denigrate the excellent pair of pistols you have , just to follow Huvius' comment

TH44