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A pair of percussion conversion pistols cased with accessories and removeable shoulder stock -Select US Arms Type- image 1
A pair of percussion conversion pistols cased with accessories and removeable shoulder stock -Select US Arms Type- image 2
Lot 3418Y,ANTIQUE

A pair of percussion conversion pistols cased with accessories and removeable shoulder stock
signed Boutet, Directeur Artiste A Versailles
-Select US Arms Type-

10 June 2013, 10:00 PDT
San Francisco

Sold for US$29,250 inc. premium

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A pair of percussion conversion pistols cased with accessories and removeable shoulder stock
signed Boutet, Directeur Artiste A Versailles

The 8 inch octagonal .53 caliber multigroove barrels with swamped muzzle and brown Damascus finish; top flats with sighting groove; German silver fore-sights; side flats inlaid in gold Boutet Directeur/Artiste A Versailles; casehardened patent breeches. Engraved tangs set with rear sights. Locks converted to percussion and equipped with external safeties in the German fashion, the lockplates sequentially signed Boutet Directeur/Artiste and Manufacture/A Versailles. Set triggers. Steel furniture comprising faceted ramrod thimbles, the finials engraved; triggerguards with engraved finials, the bows with scenes of putti; engraved counterscrew plates, one a bat's head, the other a bat's head with wings. Oval silver barrel wedge escutcheons. Walnut stocks, the grips with scaled panels; spines carved diamond-shaped panels and fitted with conforming steel escutcheons opening to the shoulder stock mounts; ebony buttcaps with German silver lion masks. Horn ramrods with elephant ivory tips. Complete with green baize-lined case, the lid with brass bale handle and escutcheon, the latter crudely incised Leiningen; side-mounted latches; interior of lid piped with gold lace. Fitted interior containing shoulder stock, silver-mounted horn flask, steel ball mold, spring vice, ivory-mounted cleaning and loading rods with accessories, wooden mallet, ladle, brush, screwdriver, nipple pick, wad cutter, oiler and steel pin hammer. Included is a photocopy of sales receipt dated April 29, 1955 from Georg Gohring in Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Capt. Robert H. Hubbes of New York.
Condition: Very good. Guns converted to percussion and probably re-stocked and cased in Germany during period of use. Barrels retaining much Damascus finish. Locks with smooth gray metal. Stocks with scattered light marks; one with crack at shoulder stock fitting, the other with replaced piece at fitting. Case exterior with scattered marks. Lining showing some wear and staining. Accessories very good with some pieces associated; pin mallet and powder flask probably by Boutet; the wooden mallet, brush, screwdriver and ladle handle of later vintage. One latch missing.
See Illustration

Footnotes

Note: Nicholas-Noel Boutet, 1761-1833, Directeur-Artiste at Versailles from 1792. Of some interest and perhaps germane to the composition of these pistols is the fact that the arms manufactory at Versailles was looted by Prussian troops in April of 1814 and on July 3, 1815 during the invasion of France.

Additional information

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