William Keith Neal
W. Keith Neal | |
|---|---|
W. Keith Neal with Probin gun at Bishopstrow House, Wiltshire, 1969 | |
| Born | William Keith Neal 11 November 1905 Boxmoor, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom |
| Died | 10 April 1990 (aged 84) Guernsey, Channel Islands |
| Occupation | Antique gun collector |
| Spouse | Jane Erskine-Murray |
| Children | Diana Margaret Jane |
William Keith Neal (11 November 1905 – 10 April 1990) was an English writer, collector and enthusiast who amassed what is considered to be one of the greatest private collections of antique firearms ever assembled. During his lifetime he was regarded as the leading authority on antique firearms in Britain and co-authored "the standard reference work" on the history of British gunmaking between the 16th and late 19th centuries. A Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, his collection of around 2,000 firearms included six items "from the gun cabinet of Louis XIII" and two miniature, gold-inlaid pistols that were reportedly "the last gift Napoléon Bonaparte gave to his three-year-old son before military defeat and subsequent exile."