Skip to main content

This auction has ended. View lot details

You may also be interested in

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

An Extremely Rare Scottish 22-Bore All-Metal Snaphaunce Belt Pistol With Left-Hand Lock image 1
An Extremely Rare Scottish 22-Bore All-Metal Snaphaunce Belt Pistol With Left-Hand Lock image 2
Lot 481

An Extremely Rare Scottish 22-Bore All-Metal Snaphaunce Belt Pistol With Left-Hand Lock
Early 17th Century, Possibly Dundee

27 July 2006, 10:30 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £7,200 inc. premium

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

How to sell

Looking for a similar item?

Our Arms and Armour specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.

Find your local specialist

An Extremely Rare Scottish 22-Bore All-Metal Snaphaunce Belt Pistol With Left-Hand Lock
Early 17th Century, Possibly Dundee

With iron barrel of octagonal section flared towards the muzzle and with a narrow raised moulding at the breech notched to form a back-sight, iron bevelled flat lock (defective) originally held by three side-nails and with horizontally-working sear working through the lock-plate and engaging with the heel of the cock, the latter with backcurved comb (upper jaw originally working on a nut and bolt and all now missing), circular fence on the pan and similar disc-terminals on the steel-spring (steel missing) and cock-bolster, and sliding pan-cover, stock of sheet-brass (some damage and old soldered repairs) engraved with wrigglework and line borders, the latter enclosing panels of scrolled acanthus foliage along the top and bottom of the butt, hollow lemon-shaped pommel (the end slightly compressed) of octagonal section with engraved medial lines dividing panels engraved en suite with the butt, each panel pierced with four circular holes, and drop-shaped trigger without guard (belt hook and ramrod missing, steel parts rust patinated, some wear overall)
28 cm. barrel

Footnotes

This is an example of the rare early type of Scottish pistol characterised by its lemon-shaped butt-pommel. Examples are found stocked in wood, iron and, most commonly, brass, and range in date from 1614 to the 1630s. As in this case the brass stocks are usually decorated with engraving, but this is unusual in including decorative piercings on the pommel also. This feature appears to be otherwise recorded only on a very similar pistol in the Glasgow Museum and Art Gallery (no. 1874.29), bearing the unidentified maker's mark 'IC' on the lock-plate. See G. Boothroyd, 'Scottish Pistols', J.A.A.S., Vol. VI (1968-70), p. 153, pl. XXIX, A; and C. Blair & R.C. Woosnam-savage, Scottish Firearms, Bloomfield, Ontario, 1995, pp. 27-29

Additional information

Bid now on these items

A Cased Pair Of Scottish 50-Bore Percussion Duelling Or Target Pistols By Alex.r Martin, Glasgow, Mid-19th Century

The medals and associate ephemera and uniforms of Arthur Watts, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons

A Pair Of Highland All-Metal Percussion Belt Pistols Signed Paton & Walsh Perth, Mid 19th century

A Silver-Mounted Left-Hand Dagger, probably German, Italian or English Late 16th Century Or Later

FOUR REPRODUCTION CARVED POWDER HORNS/FLASKS.late 20th century.

A COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE AND REPRODUCTION POWDER FLASKS AND RELATED SPORTING ITEMS.

THREE VICTORIAN ARMS AND ARMOUR DECORATIVE ITEMS.