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LOT 3341
Very Scarce Documented Fine Pair of Engraved, Carved, Gold-Inlaid and Silver-Mounted Durs Egg Double Barrel Flintlock Pistols with Hallmarks for 1784
-A) D. Egg Double Barrel Pistol - NSN, 36 bore cal., 10 inch solid rib bbl., brown/casehardened/gold/silver finish, relief carved walnut stock. One of the pistols from this pair is listed as No. 149 in the 1971 Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition catalog, “Early Firearms of Great Britain and Ireland from the Collection of Clay P. Bedford”, p. 139 and illustrated on p. 141, and the text attributes the “M-B” silversmith mark to Moses Brent.
The London silver hallmarks date to 1784 providing an approximate year of manufacture for the pistols. They feature side by side smoothbore browned Damascus barrels each with silver blade front sight on the rib and “D. Egg” and “London” signed in script at the breech ends of the barrels, engraved gold bands at the breeches, gold vent liners, and London proof marks struck on the underside. The locks are each signed “D Egg” and have semi- rainproof priming-pans, rollers on the frizzens, stepped tails, sliding half-cock safeties, and engraving consisting of lined borders and sunburst, floral, and bird motifs. The grooved standing breeches have coordinating engraving. The silver mounts feature primarily floral patterns along with a martial trophy on the trigger-guard bows. The half-stocks have diamond-shaped checkered butts with carved accents and raised relief floral carving at the top of the wrists. They are fitted with metal ramrods with checkered tips. Purchased by Norman R. Blank from the Wilfrid Ward Collection at Christie’s, 27 October 1993, lot 98.