Thomas Del Mar - Arms & Armour

369
A PAIR OF GERMAN WHEEL-LOCK PUFFER PISTOLS,
DATED 1586, PERHAPS AUGSBURG
with swamped barrels formed in two stages, engraved with
foliage on the medians, the date and stamped with two
marks on the breeches (one possibly Augsburg, the other
Neue Støckel 8447, each rubbed), flat locks fitted with
internal wheels, raised wheel-covers, sliding pan-covers
with button releases, safety-catches and later dogs,
fruitwood full stocks profusely inlaid in engraved staghorn
with scrolling ball flower tendrils inhabited by marine
monsters on the fore-ends and grotesques beneath, male
and female demi-figures drawn by a pair of hippocamps
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opposite the respective locks, the butts inlaid with
grotesques about the barrel tangs and the standing figure of
Eve in differing attitudes on the spines, all within segmental
lines, spherical pommels decorated en suite including
differing grotesque masks divided by strapwork plaques,
fitted with circular plaques decorated with cavalrymen on
the base, and moulded steel trigger-guards (the steel parts
heavily cleaned with chemicals, the stocks with filled worm
damage, heavily varnished throughout, ramrods missing)
49.8cm; 19K in
(2)
£14000-18000
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