Lot 500
A Very Rare Cased Pair Of 38-Bore Target Pistols For 'Imperial' Or Standard Caps By Sam.L & C. Smith, 64 Princes Street, Leicester Square, London, No. 5175 for 1841
Fine Antique Arms, Armour & Militaria Including property from the Mark and Peter Dineley Collections
27 November 2019, 10:00 GMT
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £13,812.50 inc. premium
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By Sam.L & C. Smith, 64 Princes Street, Leicester Square, London, No. 5175 for 1841
By Sam.L & C. Smith, 64 Princes Street, Leicester Square, London, No. 5175 for 1841
With massive browned etched twist sighted barrels signed in full along the top, case-hardened patent breeches each with four platinum lines and platinum plug, case-hardened scroll engraved tangs each incorporating a blued back-sight, signed case-hardened scroll engraved serial numbered detented locks each with engraved safety-catch and hammer, the latter each with blued detachable nose, varnished figured half-stocks (minor bruising), with chequered semi-saw-handled butts and large oval pommels, scroll engraved serial numbered blued spur trigger-guards (one with some loss of finish), blued triggers and trigger-plates, the latter each with pineapple finial, silver escutcheons, no provision for ramrods, and retaining most of their original finish: in original lined and fitted two-tier mahogany case with accessories including two brass-mounted powder-flasks, wrenches for both types of nipple, and a large number of 'Imperial' caps, the interior of the lid with maker's trade label for circa 1827-1845, the exterior with flush-fitting brass carrying handle centred on a circular escutcheon, London proof marks
23.5 cm. barrels
23.5 cm. barrels
Footnotes
Provenance
W. Keith Neal Collection, C95
Christie's London, Fine Antique Firearms from the W. Keith Neal Collection, 25 October 2001, lot 169
Literature
W. Keith Neal, 'Pistols for Two', The Saturday Book, London, 1970
W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back, British Gunmakers Their Trade Cards, Cases and Equipment 1760-1860, 1980, pl. 477
'Smith's Patent Imperial Cap' was patented on 7 August 1830 (British Patent No. 5978)
