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Click here to subscribeCeltic, Belgae, uninscribed coinage, c.50 BC, gold Quarter Stater, 0.88g, Petersfield wreath face type, wreath design, rev. horse right, moon shaped rump, ladder mane, wheel above and below (Mack -; BMC 568-70; Rudd ABC 773; S.-), good fine, a rare type VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Celtic, Catuvellauni, Tasciovanus (c.25 BC-c.AD 10), gold Stater, 5.44g, warrior type, crossed wreaths, two back to back crescents at centre divided by three pellets, rev. warrior holding carnyx riding right, wheel behind, inscription in field, ground line below which a wheel (Mack 154; BMC 1608, 1612-13, 1618-19, 1622; Rudd ABC 2565; S.217), good fine, rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Celtic, Catuvellauni, Tasciovanus, gold Stater, 5.51g, VER type, crossed wreath extending from two back to back crescents, v-e-r in small letters around centre of design, rev. warrior riding right holding carnyx, wheel above horse`s head, exergual line below (Mack 156; BMC 1623-24; Rudd ABC 2568; S.218), small edge split, well-centred obverse, reverse a little off-centre but excellent detail of horseman and carnyx, an attractive example, good very fine, extremely rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Celtic, Catuvellauni, Tasciovanos, gold Quarter Stater, 1.31g, acorn type, crossed wreath with two back to back crescents at centre, tear drop shaped symbol in each angle, rev. horseman left, symbol below (Mack 151; BMC 1651-53; Rudd ABC 2586; S.221), inscription off-flan, very fine, rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Celtic, Catuvellauni, Tasciovanos, bronze Double Unit, 5.13g, head right tasciava, rev. Pegasus stepping left, tas to right (Mack 178; BMC 1685-87; Rudd ABC 2652; S.241), even dark patina, fine / about very fine, very rare provenance Bt. Spink, November 2008 VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Celtic Catuvellauni (4), Tasciovanos, bronze fractional Unit, 0.92g, goat type, ver before, rev. goat right (Mack 182; BMC 1765-68; Rudd ABC 2709; S.256), nearly very fine, rare, Andoco (c.20-1 BC), bronze Unit, 1.66g, head left andoco before, rev. horse right and-o-c-o around (Mack 200; BMC 2018-20; Rudd ABC 2727; S.265), flan edge bent at twelve o`clock, very fine, Dias (c.AD 1-10), bronze Unit, 1.27g, throne type, head right, inscription before, rev. figure seated left on throne (Mack 177; BMC 1639-44; Rudd ABC 2751; S.251), fine, very rare, Rues (c.AD 1-10), bronze Unit, 2.09g, bearded head right, [r]vii, before, rev. horseman right, r[vii] to right (Mack 190; BMC 1698-1701; Rudd ABC 2754; S.272), green patina, very fine, scarce (4) provenance The first, ex Michael J. Grover collection The last, bt. Spink, April 2009 VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Kent, Cuthred (798-807), Penny, 1.25g, cross and wedges type, c.805-07, Canterbury, Duda, diademed bust right, legend commencing at 11 o`clock, +cvÐred rex-cant, contraction bar above t, rev. +dvda moneta, uncial m, cross, wedges in angles (Naismith C30.1; N.211; S.877), edge crack, surface creasing in places, about very fine, rare provenance Found near Reading, Berks, 1995 Recorded with the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, EMC 2013.0120 VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Mercia, Coenwulf (796-821), Penny, 1.29g, cross and wedges type, c.805-10, Canterbury, Beornferth, diademed bust right, legend commencing at 12 o`clock, +coenvlf-rex m, uncial m, contraction bar above, rev. +beornfreÐ moneta, uncial letter m, wedges in angles (Naismith C23 - this reverse die not noted; N.344; S.915), creased, lightly porous surfaces, slightly double struck on obverse, very fine, rare provenance Found 2012, near Moreton, Essex Recorded with the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, EMC 2013.0121 VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Wessex, Alfred the Great (871-99), Penny, 1.28g, lunettes coinage, 871-76/77, London dies, Wulfeard, Burgred vertical style bust right, +elfreÐ mx+, rev. dmon / vvlfear / eta, lunettes type A, cluster of six pellets after eta (Lyons and MacKay group II, var V, Corpus AfL2.65 - this coin; N.625; S.1057A), sometime cleaned, very fine, a very rare Mercian issue of Alfred provenance SNC April 1992, 1771 In their Corpus of the Lunettes coins of Alfred (BNJ 78, 2008, 38-110), Lyons and MacKay noted nine examples with the Burgred `Vertical` bust (designated as Alfred variant V). Most Alfred Lunettes pennies are struck from dies associated with Canterbury however a small number show characteristics that allow them to be linked to London. Apart from the bust style, the obverse legend on this coin reads ELFREÐ a distinctly Mercian reading of the more normal ELBRED found on his Kentish lunettes coins. Wulfeard was one of a small number of moneyers well known for Burgred of Mercia (852-74), who also struck coins for Alfred and the six pellets cluster on the reverse is also noted for Burgred. Additionally the latter part of the obverse legend on this coin reads MX a format commonly found on the coins of Burgred, but exceptional for Alfred where REX is the usual style. The omission of REX and its replacement with the MX is significant as it appears to give Alfred a Mercian title. One explaination for this might be that this coin was struck in the name of Alfred by Mercians in London in the period after 874 when Burgred abdicated and the kingship of Mercia was uncertain. VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Aethelred II (978-1016), Penny, 1.58g, first hand type, Southampton, Aethelweard, draped, diademed bust right, rev. +aeÐelþeard m-o ham., Hand of Providence dividing Alpha and Omega (N.766; S.1144), very fine, rare 13 examples recorded for this type for this mint. provenance Bt. Baldwin, March 1995 F. Elmore Jones, Glendining, October 6 1971, lot 745 R.C. Lockett, part IV, Glendining, 26-27 April 1960, lot 3726 VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Aethelred II, Penny, 1.50g, Crux type, Leicester, Osferth, draped bust left, sceptre before, rev. +osferÐ m-o lehra, voided short cross, a letter of crvx in angles (N.770; S.1148), crack on inner circle between 12 and 3 o`clock, otherwise very fine, rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Aethelred II, Penny, 1.74g, long cross type, Bedford, Leofnoth, draped bust left, rev. +leofnoÐ mo beda, voided long cross each limb terminating in three crescents (N.774; S.1151), pecks, nearly very fine, rare provenance Arnott, DNW, 21 March 1995, lot 136 VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Aethelred II, Penny, 1.77g, long cross type, Dorchester, Wulfnoth, draped bust left, rev. +þvlfnoÐ mo dor, voided long cross, each limb terminating in three crescents (N.774; S.1151), double struck on reverse, old tone, very fine, rare mint for this issue VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Aethelred II, Penny, 1.26g, last small cross type, Northampton, Leofwine, diademed, draped bust left, small cross before, rev. +leofþine m-o hamt, small cross pattée within inner circle (cf SCBI 50/1366-69 and 50/459; N.777; S.1154), cracked, otherwise very fine, rare provenance G.V. Doubleday, Glendining, 12 October 1987, lot 348 With Doubleday ticket VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Aethelred II, Penny, 1.21g, last small cross type, Thetford, Manna, diademed, draped bust right, rev. +manna m`o Ðeote, small cross pattée within inner circle (N.780; S.1154), pecks, nearly very fine, a very rare variety with the bust right provenance Bt. Spink, May 1993 VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
William I (1066-87), Penny, 1.06g, profile right (BMC 7), ?Bristol, Leofwine, crowned bust right, sceptre before, rev. +leoþine on [br]i, large cross pattée arms extending from central annulet, voided trefoil in each angle (N.847; S.1256), broken and mended, chipped, otherwise good detail on bust, rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
William II (1087-1100), Penny, 1.23g, cross pattée and fleury type (BMC 4), Chichester, Godwine, crowned facing bust holding sword to left, rev. +godþine on cic, cross pattée over cross fleury (N.855; S.1261), uncleaned with lightly porous surfaces, nearly very fine, unrecorded in SCBI / EMC, very rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Charles I, Civil War coinages, Oxford, 1642-46, Halfcrown, 11.97g, 1645, m.m. plume / pellets, horseman left, plume in field behind, rev. Declaration in two lines, plumes above, date below, ox (Brooker 912/915; N.2424; S.2959), about fine, rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Commonwealth, Double-Crown, 1651/0, 4.55g, m.m. sun, shield within wreath, rev. conjoined shields (Schneider II, 350 - different dies; N.2717; S.3210), slight flan irregularity, rare with overdate, good very fine, rare provenance Selig, Spink auction 70, 31 May 1989, lot 227 The overdate was not noted in the Selig catalogue entry VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Commonwealth, gold Crown, 1652/0, 2.29g, m.m. sun, shield within wreath, englan, on in commonwealth over o, rev. conjoined shields (Schneider II, - ; N.2719; S.3212), lustrous, most attractive, extremely fine, a very rare overdate provenance Selig, Spink auction 70, 31 May 1989, lot 229 R.C. Lockett II, Glendining, 11-17 October 1956, lot 2600 (illustrated) V.M. Brand, consigned to Baldwin c.1934 VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Hiberno-Norse coinages, Penny, 0.43g, phase VI, c.1095-1110, degraded bare headed bust left, crook before, symbol on neck, blundered legend, rev. blundered legend, long cross, cross in two angles, pellets in two angles (D.F.32; S.6140A), very fine, rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Edward VI (1547-53), coinage in the name of Henry VIII, Threehalfpence, 0.54g, crowned, bearded facing bust, rev. civitas dvblini, shield over long cross fourchée (D.F. -; S.6492), scratch on obverse, full coin, weak portrait, clear legends, fair / about fine, extremely rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Citadel of Lille taken, 1708, Silver medal, bombardment of Lille, siste sol in gibeon et lvna in valle aialon, in ex. castellvm rysel obses: sum xxvii oct.receptvm vero ix dec. rev. confvndamvs lingvam eorvm vt non avdiat vnvsqvisqve vocen, building of the Tower of Babel, rissel vel insvlae per principem evgenivm ob: sessa 22.avg.et 23. oct. recepta 1708in ex., edge inscribed vnita valet virtvs, 49 mm. (MI ii, 339/170), extremely fine, rare VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Catch Club 1762, Silver medal by Thomas Pingo, let`s drink and let`s sing together, in exergue catch clvb institvted london mdcclxii, rev. circular wreath, 44mm. (BHM 83; D&W 152/39; Eimer (Pingo) 28), extremely fine, extremely rare in silver provenance Peter Denys Esq., of The Pavilion, Hans Place, London, and Fremington, Yorkshire, thence by descent to Sir Francis Denys of Draycott Hall, Richmond, Yorkshire, and thence by descent to the present owner. BHM 83 lists the medal in copper. In the Appendix (corrections and additional material ) in BHM vol.III, it is noted `This piece also exists in silver (Private Collection)` VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Shakespearian Society, silver medal by Kirk, bust left, rev. the honble order of shakespeareians instituted july 11 anno 1777, edge engraved r harwood theatre royal drury lane, 37mm. (BHM.221 RRR; MI.209/44), very fine, very rare, with ring for suspension VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
Opening of the Royal Exchange 1844, bronze gilt medal by W. Wyon, bust of Thomas Gresham left, rev. statue of Queen Victoria in front of the Royal Exchange, 74mm. (BHM.2185 - not listed in bronze gilt; Eimer 1390), light rub on the surfaces and one or two tiny marks, extremely fine, rare as a gilt medal VAT Status: Margin Scheme View Terms & Conditions
**A FINE AND RARE CHINESE DECORATED HELMET, 17TH/18TH CENTURY, PROBABLY FOR A MEMBER OF THE IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD with tall skull formed of four iron plates each decorated on the outside in damascened gold with four Lentsa characters above a running five clawed dragon, the plates joined on the inside by a slender iron panel and the outside with two gilt iron panels with engraved shaped foliate projections (two outer panels missing), the top of the skull with a large pierced iron central boss retained by four bud-shaped rivets all thickly encrusted with gold, decorated at the top with an expanded flowerhead, and at the front with a pair of dragons on either side of a central flaming jewel motif, all framed by a pair of ropework bands, the base of the skull encircled by an iron beadwork band surmounted by matching foliate projections secured by a pronounced bud-shaped rivets, all thickly encrusted in gold and with traces of a cheek and nape defences (probably of leather), fitted at the front with a brow-plate decorated in inlaid gold with a symmetrical pattern of scrollwork filled with differing flowerheads, topshells and a central flaming jewel design, pierced shaped peak thickly encrusted in gold and decorated with a design of scrollwork and a central monstrous mask, and retaining much gold throughout (the skull plates with small areas of pitting) 23cm; 9 1/8in high Provenance Morris J. Pinto, Geneva 1990 A helmet with two-piece skull and decorated in a closely related manner is preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no. 2005.270. See D. Larocca 2006, no. 18 pp. 83-4. The five clawed dragon was adopted as a motif on the robes of Government Officials and members of the Imperial family from the 14th Century. It is one of the twelve ornaments, all twelve being present only on the robes of the Emperor.
**A RARE ARAB BANDOLIER, MID-19TH CENTURY with sixteen brass charge holders, each with engraved top, pierced finial, fitted with a fabric stopper at the base retained by red thread, and long brass chain at the front (two charge holders missing, in its leather carrier, decorated with a band of red fabric (losses, worn) and retaining two buckles at one end 35/5cm; 14in long
**A RARE 50 BORE INDIAN COMBINED PERCUSSION WALKING STICK AND DAGGER, CIRCA 1835 with tapering barrel decorated in silver koftgari over its outer surface with a spiralling pattern of scrolls and foliage divided by flowerheads, fitted with matching threaded muzzle cap incorporating a ramrod and an additional robust spike of diamond-section, the breech decorated en suite, curved butt with engraved brass fittings, enclosed action with folding trigger (defective, fitted with a pair of steel grips decorated in silver koftgari with a dense pattern of scrolling foliage, the butt with folding brass cap pommel, and the spine with an additional trap with engraved cover 93.5cm; 36 7/8in overall For another example, now preserved in the Tareq Rajab Museum, Kuwait, see R. Elgood 1995, pp.142-143.
A RARE WELSH BILL, LATE 17TH CENTURY with hooked blade of flattened-triangular section, impressed with a series of marks along the back-edge on one side, formed with a characteristic pronounced up-turned hook at the rear and with an additional basal spike, tapering socket pierced with five holes on one side and left open on the other (pitted overall), on a portion of an early haft 47cm; 18 1/2in head Provenance Apparently from a Lincolnshire farmhouse, acquired by the vendor from an antique shop in Ely circa 1965. A number of similar bills or `hooks` are preserved in the Royal Armouries, Leeds, inv. nos. VII. 820-7. For a discussion of this group see C. Blair 1999, pp. 71-85.
A RARE NORTH EUROPEAN BALLOCK DAGGER, LATE 15TH CENTURY in excavated condition, with sharply tapering blade of wedge-shaped section, iron hilt comprising a pair of short sharply down-turned arms, disc-shaped pommel cap secured by a single rivet over a copper washer, and tapering hardwood grip with a pair of characteristic basal lobes (minor repairs) 21 cm; 8 1/4 in blade Provenance Retrieved during dredging operations in a Belgian Canal.
A RARE QUILLON DAGGER, FIRST QUARTER OF THE 16TH CENTURY, PROBABLY ENGLISH with tapering blade of flattened-diamond section (slightly bent in profile), iron hilt comprising a pair of short down-curved quillons with moulded terminals, fluted quillon-block, and spirally moulded globular pommel, the tang retaining a single `Turk`s head` and in untouched black patinated condition 24 cm; 9 1/2 in blade Provenance The River Thames at Queenhithe
A FINE AND RARE SOUTH GERMAN `GOTHIC` BREASTPLATE AND BACKPLATE, CIRCA 1480-90 the two pieces closely matched, the first formed of a main plate with angular outward turns at its neck and arm-openings, each decorated with an alternating pattern of notches and incised lines, a plackart of two upward-overlapping pieces, each rising to an elaborately fretted cusp at its centre and articulated to the plate above it by a sliding-rivet and two internal leathers, and a contemporary fauld of four lames, the lowest cut with a shallow arch over the crotch, the main plate decorated at the neck with a recessed V-shaped panel bordered by a pairs of pointillé lines, the plackart and fauld with medial ridges enclosed in the case of that of the fauld by similar pairs of pointillé lines, and at the borders of the arm-openings , the upper edge of each lame of the plackart and the lower edge of the fauld with ripple-like fluting; and the second formed of three downward overlapping plates, the uppermost with roped angular outward turns at its arm openings, a V-shaped neck-opening filled with a separate triangular gusset, and a culet of three lames of which the lowest descends to an obtuse central point, the neck-opening and the centres of all subsidiary edges fretted, and the arm-openings, each side of the back, and the centre of the culet decorated with flutes similar to those of the breastplate (both elements extensively patched, pitted and worn), all mounted on a wooden stand covered at its top by mail 60.0 cm; 23½ in Provenance Sartori Collection, Vienna Dacre Kendrick Edwards, sold Christie`s, 25 April 1961, lot 38 Exhibitions Cyril Andrade, Dalmeny Gallery, St James`s, October to November 1922, Catalogue, Part 2, nos 135 & 137 Arms & Armour Society, The Art of the Armourer, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, April to May 1963, cat. No. 7 (ill.) Battle of Barnet Quincentenary, Barnet, Middlesex, April 1971, cat.no. 11 A very similar breastplate forms part of the former arsenal of the City of Vienna, now in the custody of the City Museum, Vienna. The distinctive form of turned edges seen on the breastplate is also found on a cuirass in the Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna, no. A 109b, made for the young Philip the Handsome by Jörg (?) Treytz of Innsbruck about 1485-90 (Thomas & Gamber 1975, p. 126, pl. 48).
A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT ENGLISH CLOSE HELMET, GREENWICH, CIRCA 1590 with pointed one-piece skull rising to a baluster finial and formed with eight facets separated by pairs of incised lines, its nape fitted with a tubular plume-holder (the tube restored) and its brow with a deep visor shaped to the chin, cut with a trellised face-opening and fitted at its upper edge with a peak decorated at it`s obtusely-pointed front edge with a roped inward turn accompanied by a recessed border, the skull and visor flanged outwards at their lower edges to receive missing gorget-plates, the visor secured to the skull at the right of the neck by a spring-catch (restored) and pieced at each side of the neck with holes for the attachment of a removable falling buff, and the helmet decorated throughout with double and single incised lines (worn overall) 24.0 cm; 9½ in Provenance Offered by Samuel J. Whawell to Robert l. Scott, Greenock, Scotland, 1920 Offered by Cyril Andrade to John Woodman Higgins, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1930 Sold Christie`s, London, 20 December 1978, lot 96 Literature Ian Eaves, `A Newly Identified Greenwich Helmet in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York`, Journal of the Arms and Armour Society, Vol. XII, no. 6, September 1968, pp. 369-70, pl. CIX. The helmet, made in the royal armour workshops at Greenwich under the mastership of Jacob Halder (1576-1607/8), is one of only three recorded examples of its type. The other two, possessing the same distinctive form of hinged face-defence and peak, are respectively preserved in the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, Inv. No. IV. 166 (Dufty and Reid 1968, pl CVI; and Eaves 1988, pp. 367-9, pls CVIII & CXIB) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Acc. No. 14.25.526 (Eaves 1988, pp. CX & CXIA). Both were recorded by Francis Grose as part of the indigenous collections of the Tower of London Armouries in 1786 (Grose 1186 p. 11, pl. IV).
A RARE ENGLISH HARQUEBUSIER`S BREASTPLATE OF `DUPLEX` CONSTRUCTION, BY HENRY KEENE, LONDON, CIRCA 1650-60 made of two thicknesses of metal, the outer folded over the edges of the inner, and formed with a medial ridge, an upstanding neck-opening (its edge split), and a shallow V-shaped waist-line bearing a short integral flange (cracked at its centre), fitted at each side of the chest with a pair of mushroom-shaped studs for the attachment of a shoulder-strap and at each side of the waist with a belt-hook (the left incomplete), struck at the right shoulder with the maker`s mark HK and at the left of the chest with the proof-mark of a bullet 40.5 cm; 16 in Provenance Sotheby`s, Olympia, 10 July 2002, lot 127 Literature Anthony de Reuck, David Starley, Thom Richardson & David Edge, `Duplex armour: an unrecognised mode of construction`, Arms & Armour, Vol. 2, no., 1, Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, 2005, pp. 8-9, 12, fig. 3. It was this breastplate that first prompted the recognition and study of two-ply or `duplex` armour. The armourer Henry Welsh, alias Keene, born at Kingham, Oxfordshire, was made free of the Armourers` Company of London in 1642/3 and died 1664.He was recorded as an Armourer in the Tower of London in 1661 (Blair 1996, pp. 238-51; and Richardson 2004, pp. 50-1)
A RARE NORTH ITALIAN SPLINTED GREAVE FOR THE RIGHT LEG, WITH ETCHED AND GILT DECORATION, CIRCA 1510-20, PROBABLY MILANESE formed of a front and a rear section joined at the outside by hinges (replaced), the front section (shortened) having three splints and the rear (patched at its upper end), one, in each case joined directly or by rivets to an upper and a lower plate, the latter formed at its lower edge with an angular outward turn, the splints and main borders of the greave etched and formerly gilt with bands of running acanthus foliage on a cross-hatched ground (patinated and rubbed overall) 36.1 cm; 14¼ in Provenance Raymond Bartel (armourer to William Randolph Hearst at St Donat`s Castle, Glamorganshire) Ian Eaves, London The greave was made for a man of notable height. Splinted greaves are illustrated in the Inventario Iluminado of the armoury of the Emperor Charles V (1500-58).
A FINE AND RARE 80 BORE THURINGIAN WHEEL-LOCK SPORTING RIFLE, CIRCA 1590 with very heavy swamped sighted barrel, small bore, probably for birding, rifled with eight slender grooves, flat lock struck with the maker`s initials `V.S.` , retained by two side nails, fitted with external wheel with low domed brass cover engraved with scrollwork and retained by an engraved moulded brass band decorated with trellis pattern interrupted by fruit and foliage, finely engraved pan-fence, engraved sliding pan-cover decorated by a grotesque and with button release, engraved dog formed as a scaly monster rising from a scroll of foliage, and a later grotesque rondel, the inside with filed spring and details retained by a shaped bridle delicately engraved with a grotesque mask, full stock profusely inlaid over its entire surface in staghorn with scrolling ball flower tendrils inhabited by exotic birds within ropework frames, a broad ropework panel along the entire length of the underside of the fore-end, a staghorn panel decorated with a bird-of-prey plucking fruit beneath the lock, the tang enclosed by staghorn panels decorated with bearded profiles within scrollwork frames, the butt applied with staghorn veneer engraved with strapwork involving masks, garlands of round fruit and podded legumes on the spine, with raised cheek-piece decorated en suite including a stag set upon by a hound on the left and with patchbox with sliding cover veneered in staghorn with a Wildman clutching an arrow and a flaming orb beneath further matching garlands of fruit on the right, later engraved staghorn butt-cap, steel trigger-guard shaped for the fingers, engraved staghorn ramrod-pipes and fore-end cap (the inlay with minor restorations and lifting, the butt with a small crack), and wooden ramrod with staghorn tip, perhaps the original 100cm; 39 3/8in barrel Provenance The Lord Astor of Hever, sold Sotheby`s, London, 5th May 1983, lot 75. A sporting rifle, formerly in the collection of Beriah Botfield at Norton Hall, signed by the same lockmaker and decorated in an identical manner is preserved in the Royal Armouries, Leeds (inv. no. XII.1197). The armouries rifle is of larger bore, shorter barrel length and is engraved with the arms of Saxony on the butt-cap. It is evident that these two guns were made for the same patron and probably formed part of a larger garniture. See G. Rimer 2001, p.42. This rifle belongs to a distinctive group of highly decorated wheel-lock firearms that have been attributed to the hand of Klaus Hirt of Wassungen, Thuringia on the basis of a single pistol that is signed by him and is preserved in the Historischen Museum, Bern. A pistol from this group signed by the stockmaker `L.B.` was sold Sotheby`s Olympia, 5th December 2002, lot 241. Another unsigned pistol decorated in this manner was sold in these rooms, 5th December 2012, lot 303.
A RARE PAIR OF 14 BORE SOUTH SPANISH SILVER-MOUNTED MIQUELET-LOCK PISTOLS SIGNED TEXXONES, CIRCA 1760 with two-stage barrels moulded at the muzzles and the medians, engraved and chiselled with bold scrolls of foliage over the breeches, flat locks lightly engraved `Texxones (indistinct, one with the additional letters `tsa?`), engraved and chiselled throughout with bold scrolls of foliage en suite with the breeches, matching top-jaws and steels, full stocks moulded over the fore-ends (one cracked through, chips), applied with large silver plaques embossed with rococo ornament about the tangs and ahead of the trigger-guards, engraved plaques opposite the locks, silver escutcheons and spurred pommels decorated en suite, the latter incorporating large grotesque masks, engraved steel long belt-hooks and broad trigger-guards, and each with its silver-tipped wooden ramrod 25cm; 9 3/4in barrels (2) This maker appears to be unrecorded. The decoration on the breeches and locks is similar to that of a carbine by Mathias Quero of Malaga, sold in these rooms 5th December 2012, lot 324.
A VERY RARE DUTCH SNAP MATCHLOCK TARGET GUN, SECOND HALF OF THE 17TH CENTURY of target-shooting weight, with two-stage fluted barrel formed in two stages with moulded girdle struck twice with a bell mark (Neue Støckel 4863), and with long rectangular breech fitted with shaped standing back-sight (muzzle shortened), plain rounded lock, the pan with fence and pivot cover, slender walnut stock with faceted three-quarter length fore-end terminating in an iron band, the butt recessed for the cheek on both sides and weighted with lead at the rear, fitted with a rectangular rest finely carved in relief with the figures of saints within vine bordered niches on both sides, plain iron side-plate of rudimentary quality, iron trigger-guard with pierced finials, and no provision for a ramrod (early working repairs) 113.8cm; 44 ¾ in barrel For an account of this distinctive type see A. Hoff 1978, pp. 24-30. Hoff states that only about thirty examples have survived. For further examples see J. P. Puype 1996, cat. nos. 21 - 32.
A VERY RARE DUTCH SNAP-MATCHLOCK TARGET GUN, SECOND HALF OF THE 17TH CENTURY of exceptional target-shooting weight, with two-stage barrel of rectangular and octagonal sections, fitted with fore-sight, medial sight and back-sight with folding peep aperture, bushed vent, plain rounded lock of military type, the pan with fence and pivot cover, figured walnut full stock of characteristic form, with fluted fore-end, large rest finely carved with a serpentine grotesque at the base, thumb-rest and cheek-recess (with modern leather lining), and long slender rectangular butt formed in two parts and weighted with lead at the end, plain iron mounts including large side-plate extending around the base of the cheek-recess, spurred trigger-guard, rear stirrup, set trigger, and no provision for a ramrod (early working repairs, the barrel shortened at the muzzle). 123.4cm; 48 ¼in barrel
**A RARE 80 BORE FOUR BARELLED FLINTLOCK TRAVELLING PISTOL BY DURS EGG, CIRCA 1800 with plain barrels numbered 4-7, border-engraved breech numbered en suite, box-lock action signed on the left within a rectangular panel carried by trophies-of-arms, fitted with tap-lever on the left for exposing the upper and lower pans, and with sliding lever on the right for covering the right-hand chambers, engraved thumb-piece safety-catch also locking the steel, engraved tang, rounded figured walnut butt (probably an early association), engraved trigger-guard, and vacant silver shield-shaped escutcheon 6.7cm; 2 5/8in barrels Durs Egg (1748-1822), son of the Swiss gunmaker Leonz Egg, came to London and worked for John Twigg in 1772. He is recorded Contractor to the Ordnance 1784-1820, and Gunmaker to George IV and the Duke of York.
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