A Cased Pair Of French 40-Bore Percussion Duelling Or Target Pistols
By Le Page Arq.er Du Roi A Paris, No. 2927, Circa 1830
With swamped ratchet rifled twist octagonal sighted barrels originally browned and each signed in gold within a double line gold oval on the top flat, and numbered respectively '1' and '2' in gold along the sighting groove, the muzzles each with chased gold line and arcaded encrusted gold foliage, breeches each with short gold lines, chased and partly gilt foliage in the sighting groove, and with unidentified gold-lined barrelsmith's stamp in an oval beneath, grooved engraved tangs numbered respectively '1' and '2' in gold, case-hardened flat detented locks each signed in gold within a gold oval between gold-inlaid fronds, and engraved with foliage at the front and a martial trophy on the tail, case-hardened foliate engraved hammer (the other mostly replaced), highly figured half-stocks each carved in relief with a scallop shell on the fore-end, chequered rounded butts each with oval ebony pommel carved as a laurel wreath inset with an engraved case-hardened steel cap, case-hardened mounts finely engraved with foliage and comprising wing-shaped side-plates, spur trigger-guards, and trigger-plates, the finials in the form of a close-helmet surmounting a shield, adjustable set triggers, and retaining much original finish: in original brass-mounted fitted wooden case veneered in highly figured mahogany (some loss of veneer) lined in faded dark blue velvet and red morocco leather with tooled and gilt borders, containing most of the original accessories including ebony powder-flask, chiselled steel oil bottle, steel bullet mould serial numbered to the pistols, and powder-measure, the exterior of the lid (old splits, one piece of brass trim detached) with central oval escutcheon
19.7 cm. barrels
Footnotes:
For a very similar pair of pistols by the same maker and sold in these Rooms, see Fine Antique Firearms from the W. Keith Neal Collection, 10 November 2005, lot 74
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