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Unique High Grade Pair of Gold Inlaid French Gosset Underhammer Pistols -A) French Gosset Boxlock Un

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:8,000.00 - 13,000.00 USD
Unique High Grade Pair of Gold Inlaid French Gosset Underhammer Pistols -A) French Gosset Boxlock Un
A) Matched pair of 19th century French, boxlock, underhammer pistols. The pistols have six-inch, rifled, octagon barrels with a steel under-lug and single ramrod pipe. The pistol barrels are threaded and secured to the receiver by oval wing nuts on the left side of each receiver. Each pistol is fitted with an ebony ramrod with flared brass tip. The barrels have a fine brass pin front sight. A fixed rear sight is integral with the receiver tang. The hammer spurs are finely checkered. The triggers fold forward and engage a notch on the hammer to hold it at half-cock. The rear face of each trigger is decorated with fine floral engraving. The top of each barrel is gold inlaid with the gunmaker's name, "GOSSET A PARIS." surrounded by two oval rings. The individual pistol number "1" and "2" is inlaid in gold on the barrel and receiver. The pistols have a high polish blue finish on the barrels, color casehardened locks and niter blue hammers and triggers. The stocks are highly figured European walnut with finely cut, borderless, checkering on the grips and an oil finish. The edges of the lock and upper tang are decorated with delicate Boutet quality floral pattern engraving.
BBL: 6 inch octagon
Stock: walnut checkered
Gauge: 50 percussion
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: NSN


B) described in "A".
BBL: 6 inch octagon
Stock: walnut checkered
Gauge: 50 percussion
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: NSN


A) Very fine. The pistol retains 98% or more of the period high polish blue finish on the barrel and the vivid case colors on the receiver and tang. The trigger and hammer have most of the fiery niter blue finish. Traces of very shallow flash pitting are visible on the receiver, barrel and percussion nipples. The fine rifling is sharp but has some traces of pitting. The grips are excellent with sharp checkering. The edges of the flats behind the lock are slightly rounded. There is a significant gap between the forward edge of the stock and the lock. The action is crisp and functions well. Writer has never seen a pair of this style pistols by this extraordinary maker, which by the way, we have another pair of his pistols offered in this sale!

B) Very fine. The pistol retains 98% or more of the high polish blue finish on the barrel and the vivid case colors on the receiver and tang. The trigger and hammer have 96-98% of the fiery niter blue finish. Traces of very shallow flash pitting are visible on the receiver, barrel and percussion nipple. The fine rifling is sharp but has some traces of pitting. The grips are near excellent with sharp checkering. The exception to this is exhibited by the fact that the edges of the flats behind the lock are slightly rounded. There is evidence of shrinkage between the forward edge of the stock and the lock on both pistol and there is a barely noticeable 1/2-inch hairline crack on the left side of the stock behind the trigger. The action is crisp and functions well. This is a very attractive brace of high grade, 19th Century French, under-hammer target pistols made by a famous Paris gunmaker.