AN 18 BORE SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK HOLSTER PISTOL BY LEWIS BARBAR, CIRCA 1740 with three-stage s

AN 18 BORE SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK HOLSTER PISTOL BY LEWIS BARBAR, CIRCA 1740 with three-stage swamped sighted barrel moulded at the breech, engraved tang, signed rounded border-engraved lock, figured walnut full stock (minor chips), moulded over the fore-end and carved with a stylised leaf ahead of the trigger-guard and about the tang, pierced and chased silver rococo sideplate of scrolling leafy tendrils, engraved steel trigger-guard with moulded finial, engraved spurred steel pommel fitted with silver grotesque mask cap, vacant silver escutcheon, and a pair of moulded ramrod-pipes (the steel parts lightly patinated), and steel-tipped ramrod 40.5cm; 16in

Lewis Barbar, a Protestant, came to England from France circa 1688. He naturalised in 1700, was elected to the London Gunmaker`s Company in 1704, and became Master in 1708. He was appointed Gentleman armourer to King George I and George III and died in 1741. See W. K. Neal and D. H. L. Back 1984, pp.288-302.