Another one for you, wharf!

After what seemed like a lifetime of passing up junk, I finally managed to locate a GOOD example of a velodog revolver for my collection. By contrast the second one, acquired just last year, virtually fell into my lap! Here's a pic of the pair:

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the velodog, some explanation is required. In the late nineteenth century, the well-to-do in Britain and Europe took to recreational cycling with a vengeance. The motor-car had not yet appeared, and the bicycle offered easy mobility without the logistic nightmare of owning horse-stables. The parks and evenues of London and Paris were literally crowded with cyclists, the ladies resplendent in long frocks, and the gentlemen in their waist-coats and top-hats.

There was only one problem: the streets were infested with stray dogs! The dogs would invariably chase the cyclists, barking and snapping as dogs do, and sometimes bite them on the ankles. With the ever-present threat of rabies, this was indeed a serious situation. In line with the pragmatism of the day, it was a simple matter to develop a line of pocket-handguns for the sole purpose of 'discouraging' stray dogs while cycling. The 'velodog' revolver came into being!

Typically, the velodog genre is characterised by small size, slab profile, enclosed hammer, folding trigger, and a safety-catch: all essential requirements for quick-accessibility from the waist-coat pocket while riding a velocipede.

Most were chambered for the 5.5 mm Velodog cartridge, and indeed the smaller of the two revolvers pictured is so-chambered. The cartridge is centrefire, but about the same size as a .22 Magnum Rimfire cartridge. Here's a comparison of the size: .22 LR on the left, .22 Magnum in the centre, and 5.5 Velodog on the right.

The primer takes up almost the whole of the cartridge base!

Imagine pulling one of these things out of your vest-pocket while plying the cycle-tracks of Melbourne or Canberra, and blasting away at stray dogs in passing!

Those were the days!!