A pair of silver-mounted English flintlock pistols by John Bumford
London, circa 1767
Each 10 inch .62 caliber brass barrel with swamped muzzle, silver fore-sight, London view and proof marks, John Bumford's touch mark and with breech flat marked Bumford Minories London and engraved with florals. Gold-lined touch holes. Bolted and signed locks, the frizzen pan covers and semi-waterproof pans lined with gold. Silver furniture comprising: triggerguards with shell and flower finial, bows engraved with bird and basket of flowers, tangs with London hallmarks including date mark for 1767, the maker's marks rubbed with only last initial I readable; sideplates cast and chased as extensive panoplies of arms; spurred buttcaps with blossoms, ribbons and C-scrolls in relief; wrist escutcheons, each with vacant oval panel framed by a panoply of arms and surmounted by close helmet. Silver ramrod thimbles, one retaining the silver-mounted ramrod. Full walnut stocks relief-carved with shells at the barrel tangs and inlaid with silver wire scrollwork.
Condition: Fine. Barrels showing some discoloration and wear to engraving. Lockplates with minor pitting. Stocks showing minor marks, one with neatly repaired 1/4" x 1/2" section at right fore-end.
See Illustration
