A Fine German 32-Bore Wheel-Lock Holster Pistol
Augsburg, Late 16th Century
With swamped two-stage barrel retaining some original blueing and struck on the top flat of the octagonal breech with the Augsburg mark (Neue Støckel 1294) and an indistinct maker's mark, bright lock with safety-catch acting against an external spring, sprung sliding pan-cover engraved with a grotesque mask and with release button, circular wheel-retaining bracket secured by two screws, and cock engraved with two marine monsters, blackened full stock inlaid with white staghorn or bone panels between horn lines and borders mainly engraved with overlapping foliage and scrollwork, on the fore-end with a helmeted male profile bust, opposite the lock with addorsed marine monsters each with foliate tail, and a hound in a landscape, either side of the tang with a profile head, compressed ball-pommel inlaid with horn roundels each engraved as a flower-head and between bands of guilloche, slender iron trigger-guard, later ramrod with foliate engraved horn tip, and in fine condition
29.2 cm. barrel
