Thomas Del Mar - Arms & Armour

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270
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A PAIR OF FLINTLOCK HOLSTER PISTOLS BY I.COSENS,
CIRCA 1690
with tapering barrels formed in three stages (shortened in
their working life), engraved with a bird-of-prey on the
barrel tangs (rubbed), signed rounded locks engraved with
scrolling foliage including and issuant monsterhead on the
tails (one lock defective and missing its steel), figured ash
full stocks (the tip of one fore-end cracked and chipped, the
other fore-end replaced), carved with raised mouldings
about the tangs and mounts, moulded brass mounts
comprising pierced scrolling side-plates formed as issuant
scaly monsters, lightly engraved trigger-guards with
moulded baluster terminals, engraved spurred pommels
(one with a small dent), and a pair of moulded ramrodpipes
(one ramrod-pipe missing, the mounts rubbed), steel
trigger-plates engraved with foliage, and drop-shaped steel
escutcheons each engraved ‘No 9’ (ramrods missing)
43.5cm; 17B in
(2)
Inv. nos. F002 & F003.
John Cosens was made free of the Gunmaker’s Company
in 1662. He is said to have learnt ‘ye arte in ye Citty of
Winchester’ and later took over Harman Barne’s Shop from
his widow, Ursula. He became Gunmaker-in-Ordinary to
Charles II and supplied pistols and one gun ‘stocked with
asshe’ for £8 as part of the King’s presents for the Emperor
of Morocco in 1680.
£2000-2500