antique arms, armour & militaria - Thomas Del Mar

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A FINE PAIR OF 25 BORE BOHEMIAN D.B. FLINTLOCK
PISTOLS BY PAUL POSER IN PRAG, CIRCA 1720
with long swamped reblued barrels signed ‘Paul Poser’ and
‘In Prag’ respectively, fitted with brass foresights, borderengraved
tangs incorporating grooved back-sights, finely
engraved signed flat bevelled locks decorated with
cavalrymen and pikemen beneath the pans, and on the tails
with a musketeer and an encampment scene, the cocks
engraved with foliage and chiselled with a monsterhead in
relief (one trigger repaired), moulded figured walnut full
stocks (minor repairs) carved in relief with linear mouldings
over the fore-ends, strapwork and foliage behind the rear
ramrod-pipes and about the barrel tangs, full brass mounts
finely cast and chased in low relief, comprising triggerguards
with acanthus finials decorated with strapwork and
opposing warrior busts on a punched ground on the bows,
spurred pommels with further designs of strapwork foliage
enclosing standing classical warriors on a punched ground,
grotesque mask butt-caps within a beadwork frame,
pierced escutcheons supported by female figures,
engraved with the owner's crest beneath a coronet, a pair
of faceted ramrod-pipes, the mounts retaining some
original gilding, and original horn-tipped wooden ramrods
53.5cm; 21Bin
(2)
The crest is that of the Pálffy von Erdöd family, Counts of
Bohemia and Hungary, created circa 1581.
Paul Poser was one of the leading Bohemian gunmakers of
the first half of the 18th century. He is especially noted for
his co-operation with the distinguished chiseller Franz
Matzenkopf, medal die-cutter at the court of the Prince-
Bishops of Salzburg, who is thought to have been
responsible for the relief decoration on the locks and
mounts of some of Poser's firearms. See J. Hayward 1963,
pp. 124-126.
£15000-20000
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