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PAIR OF SILVER MOUNTED FLINTLOCK OFFICER'S PISTOLS BY RICHARD WILSON, CIRCA 1770.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
PAIR OF SILVER MOUNTED FLINTLOCK OFFICER'S PISTOLS BY RICHARD WILSON, CIRCA 1770.
NSN. These extremely attractive pistols have high relief cast and chased silver mounts with French discharge marks. The heavy silver sideplate with panoplies of arms. Butts cast and chased with trophies of arms. Trigger guards cast and chased with florals and urns. Locks are relatively plain. Bbls have four rings beginning at muzzle enhanced with gold. Breech chiseled with panoply of arms against a gilt ground. Bbls are high polished blue, bluing later. Walnut full stocks are profusely inlaid with silver wire. Some pieces are silver with drums, cannons and arms. Stock has shell carving behind tang. Form of these pistols is very much English. Mounts are French, the likelihood being that they were ordered by a French officer or that the mounts were applied in France. Ramrods are silver tipped and appear to be original to pistols. NOTES: All together a most attractive pair of Revolutionary or period officer's pistols. PROVENANCE: See Early Firearms of Great Britain and Ireland from the Collection of Clay Bedford, 1971, p. 43, #32; see Catalog, 1995, by Finer, #101. Collection of Dr. Douglas Sirkin. CONDITION: Locks are gray, but overall crisp. Gilding in pans is probably later as well as gilding on breeches is refreshed. Bbl blue later but 100% intact. Actions are crisp. Stocks are excellent with one small chip repaired forward of lock on one pistol. Profuse silver wire has virtually no losses. Mounts are crisp, only slightly rubbed and generally rate excellent. 4-49897 MZ47