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A Very Rare German Combined Horseman's Hammer And 50-Bore Wheel-Lock Pistol image 1
A Very Rare German Combined Horseman's Hammer And 50-Bore Wheel-Lock Pistol image 2
Lot 133

A Very Rare German Combined Horseman's Hammer And 50-Bore Wheel-Lock Pistol
Late 16th Century, Probably Augsburg

23 May 2018, 10:30 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £30,000 inc. premium

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A Very Rare German Combined Horseman's Hammer And 50-Bore Wheel-Lock Pistol
Late 16th Century, Probably Augsburg

Entirely of iron, the haft of tapering circular section forming the barrel and stamped with an Augsburg mark (similar to Neue Støckel 8507) at the breech beneath a domed mount secured by screws (one replaced), hammer-head secured by screws and comprising square head on a waisted faceted neck, integral socket and beak-shaped fluke of diamond section, rectangular action (some etching probably later) with gilt safety-catch acting against a chiselled spring on the left side, flat lock on the right (one retaining screw replaced) with gilt wheel-retaining bracket, pivoting pan cover acting against a spring, foliate engraved cock, the jaws engraved as a monster's head, chiselled external spring and gilt baluster retaining bracket, baluster trigger, cord-bound leather-covered grip of circular section, spherical hollow pommel (possibly later) hinged in two halves and secured by a spring catch (button missing), and steel ramrod/cleaning rod with retaining spring and domed finial surmounted by a baluster tip, decorated overall with scrolling foliage against dotted and gilt grounds involving trophies, elements of armour and drums, the face of the hammer and the pommel-cap each centred on a helmeted male profile bust (minor wear and rust patination overall)
15 cm. head, 62 cm. overall

Footnotes

Other examples are in the old Saxon Electoral Armoury at Dresden. See Erich Haenal, Kostbare Waffen aus der Dresdener Rüstkammer, 1923, p. 146, pl. 72 (D); Johannes Schöbel, Princely Arms and Armour..., 1975, pp. 163 and 198, fig. 145b; and Heinz-Werner Lewerken, Kombinations Waffen..., 1989, pp. 209-211, figs. 7-11 and colour plate 12

Additional information

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