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LOT 1307
Documented Cased Pair of Gold Inlaid John Manton Flintlock Dueling Pistols -A) Manton Dueling Pistol - Serial no. 2127, 36 bore cal., 10 inch octagon bbl., brown/casehardened/blue finish, walnut stock. Serial number 2127 is listed in W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back, “The Mantons: Gunmakers”, p. 68 and is noted as a “Pair of Single Barrel 36 Bore Duelling Pistols” dating from 1793 and noted as owned by “N. Blank, U.S.A”. Neal and Back further describe the pistols as “The butts have flat sides and are chequered all over. Hair triggers are fitted, and the words on the barrels are in gold. Both the touch-holes and the flash-pans are gold-lined, and the hammers are fitted with rollers to run over ridges on the feather springs. The barrels are hair rifled.” This pair was exhibited at the NRA in 2004.
The Damascus barrels have faint “hair” or “scratch” rifling designed to give the pistols greater accuracy without being easily detected, silver blade front sights, dovetailed notch rear sights, “---MANTON-LONDON---” in gold inlay on the top flats, a gold band at each breech, gold vent liners, and the serial number and London proof marks struck on the undersides. The serial number is also struck inside the forearms and on the breech hooks. The locks have stepped tails, sliding safeties, “-MANTON-” signed at the centers, rollers on the frizzens, and gold-lined priming-pans. The mounts are blued steel and feature foliate and martial trophy engraving and stylized pineapple finials. The silver wrist escutcheons have a rampant lion crest. The pistols are equipped
with single set triggers and are fitted with walnut full stocks with checkered slab-sided butts and later wood ramrods with dark horn tips. In associated relined and refitted mahogany case, the lid with reproduction John Manton & Son trade label, with some accessories. Sold at Christie’s on 8 December 1959, almost certainly to W. Keith Neal who subsequently sold the pair to Norman R. Blank.