Bonhams
Los 250
A Fine German 32-Bore Wheel-Lock Holster PistolAugsburg, Late 16th CenturyWith 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 Footnotes:ProvenanceChristie's South Kensington, Antique Arms and Armour, 15 July 1998, lot 266The Richard Garrett Collection of Antique Firearms & Related Items, sold in these Rooms, 28 November 2018, lot 201 Similar pistols are in the Bayerisches Nationalsmuseum, Munich, the Landeszeughaus, Graz, Styria, the Musee Militaire Historique de Prague and the Musee de l'Armee, ParisThis lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
