A Pair Of 18-Bore Flintlock Holster Pistols

A Pair Of 18-Bore Flintlock Holster Pistols By Banester (Sic) Of London, Late 17th Century With three-stage barrels, octagonal breeches becoming polygonal, plain tangs, rounded locks and cocks with beaded borders, the former (retaining screws replaced) each signed in capitals and decorated with foliage terminating in a monster-head beneath the pan, moulded figured full stocks (some old repairs, including along each ramrod-channel) each with apron around the barrel tang, iron mounts comprising side-plates each pierced and engraved with scrolling foliage, vacant escutcheons en suite, border engraved spurred pommels each decorated with overlapping foliage on the spurs and with symmetrical strawberry foliage on both sides, and circular butt-caps each centred on the retaining screw, trigger-guards each with pointed finial, turned baluster ramrod-pipes, scrolled triggers, and later wooden ramrods (some old wear and pitting), London proof marks and Banester's barrelsmith's mark (2) 33 cm. barrels Footnotes: Thomas 1 Banister was apprenticed to Robert Silke and turned over to Robert Brooke in 1668. Free of the Gunmakers' Company in 1676 he presented his proof piece in 1678. He was Contractor to Ordnance between 1680 and 1707, and to the Hudson's Bay Company between 1684 and 1701. Recorded as 'Extremely ill and destitute of all necessarys' he was given a pension by the Gunmakers' Company in 1724 For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing