Lot 312
A Very Rare Pair Of 16-Bore Forsyth Patent Roller Primer PistolsBy Forsyth Patent Gun Com.Y, London, Nos. 203 and 204, Circa 1809
23 September 2020, 10:30 BST
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £10,062.50 inc. premium
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A Very Rare Pair Of 16-Bore Forsyth Patent Roller Primer Pistols
By Forsyth Patent Gun Com.Y, London, Nos. 203 and 204, Circa 1809
By Forsyth Patent Gun Com.Y, London, Nos. 203 and 204, Circa 1809
With sighted barrels each signed along the breech flat, case-hardened breeches each with back-sight, border engraved tangs each decorated with a martial trophy and foliage, signed serial numbered border engraved flat bevelled locks each decorated with starbursts and a martial trophy on the stepped tail, engraved strikers and plain serial numbered primers, figured full stocks with chequered rounded butts, steel trigger-guards each with pineapple finial and decorated with a martial trophy on the border engraved bow, turned ramrod-pipes, vacant silver escutcheons and barrel-bolt escutcheons, and stirrup ramrods (barrels with minor pitting, no. 203 retaining much of its original finish, no. 204 with some wear, stock with minor restoration), London proof marks (2)
21 cm. barrels
21 cm. barrels
Footnotes
Provenance
W. Keith Neal Collection, P584 and P585
Christie's London, Fine Antique Firearms from the W. Keith Neal Collection, 9 November 2000, lot 170
Literature
W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back, Forsyth & Co.: Patent Gunmakers, 1969, pp. 33-34
D.H.L. Back, Great British Gunmakers, Forsyth & Co.: Patent Gunmakers, 1995, pp. 16, 36, pls. 4a, b, and colour pl.1
This is the earliest pair of Forsyth pistols recorded
