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Lot 339
A Pair Of 32-Bore Flintlock Silver-Mounted Turn-Off PistolsBy W. Birkell, London, Circa 1745, London Hallmarks And Maker's Mark JA
23 September 2020, 10:30 BST
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £1,785 inc. premium
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A Pair Of 32-Bore Flintlock Silver-Mounted Turn-Off Pistols
By W. Birkell, London, Circa 1745, London Hallmarks And Maker's Mark JA
By W. Birkell, London, Circa 1745, London Hallmarks And Maker's Mark JA
With cannon barrels, one an old replacement and of 25-bore, breeches each engraved 'London' (refreshed) and with a band of foliage at the rear, and signed beneath the chiselled steel-springs, shaped border engraved tangs each decorated with foliage, border engraved actions (cocks and retaining screws replaced), sliding trigger-guard safety-catches each engraved with an expanded flower-head on the bow, figured rounded butts (old splits at each tang, one repaired at the rear of the action) each carved with a shell behind the barrel tang, cast and chased mounts comprising pierced foliate side-plates, foliate escutcheons each engraved with owner's initials 'MB', and grotesque mask butt caps each with foliate border, London proof marks and Birkell's barrelsmith's mark (2)
11.5 cm. barrels
11.5 cm. barrels
Footnotes
William Birkell was apprenticed to Charles Dymond in 1740 and free of the Gunmakers' Company in 1726. He was contractor to Ordnance between 1742 and 1749, and was elected Master of the Gunmakers' Company in 1748








