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LOT 1260
Highly Attractive Pair of
Silver Mounted, Chiseled,
Engraved, Gilded, and
Carved Flintlock Pistols Made
for Grand Duke Ernst August I of
Saxe-Weimar
-A) Flintlock Pistol - NSN, 28
bore/.54 cal., 10 1/4 inch round
bbl., bright/gold/silver finish,
walnut stock. This pair is being
de-accessioned from the famed
George F. Harding Jr. Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago (reference number
1982.2876a-b). They are noted as likely manufactured in Suhl c. 1740 and were for Grand Duke Ernst August I of Saxe-Weimar
(1707-1748) and were maintained in the gun cabinet at Schloss Ettersburg until the collection was sold to E. Kahlert
& Sohn of Berlin in 1926-1927. The Duke was known for his excessive spending and love of hunting and amassed
a considerable collection of fine arms. The pistols feature smoothbore barrels with silver blade front sights, sighting flats
interrupted by panels of chiseled scrollwork with beaded and gilt backgrounds towards the breech ends, and engraved tangs.
The rounded locks feature chiseling and gilding en suite, and the silver mounts feature primarily shell patterns along with a
coronet on the wrist escutcheons. An “8” is marked at the edge on the left at the breech. The walnut stocks feature fine molding
and scroll carving. The stocks and ramrods have coordinating horn tips.
CONDITION: Very fine overall with mostly bright polished metal with some silver-gray patina and traces of minor oxidation,
strong gilding and fire blue, light aged patina on the silver mounts, crisp carving, very minor flakes absent from the stock, and minor wear. Mechanically functions.
B) Flintlock Pistol - NSN, 28 bore/.54 cal., 10 1/4 inch round bbl., bright/gold/silver finish, walnut stock. As described in “A.”
CONDITION: Very fine overall with mostly bright polished metal with some silver-gray patina and traces of minor oxidation, strong gilding and fire blue, light aged patina on
the silver mounts, crisp carving, very minor flakes absent from the stock, and minor wear. Mechanically functions.
Provenance: The Collection of the Dukes of Saxe-Weimar at Schloss Ettersburg; E. Kahlert & Sohn; The George F. Harding Jr. Collection; The Art Institute of Chicago.
Estimate: 8,500 - 13,000
271
LOT 1261
Pair of Elaborately Chiseled
Flintlock Pistols with “Gio
Botti” Locks and “Lazarino
Cominazo” Barrels Made for
Grand Duke Ernst August I
of Saxe-Weimar -A) Flintlock Pistol - NSN, 48 cal., 10 3/8 inch round bbl.,
bright/gold finish, walnut stock. This c. 1730 pair is being de-accessioned from the famed George F. Harding Jr.
Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago
(reference number 1982.2384a-b).
Two nearly identical pairs remain
in the Art Institute of Chicago’s
collection (reference numbers
1982.2383a-b and 1982.2386a-b),
and two other pairs were previously sold from Harding’s collection. Another pair from the W. Keith Neal Collection was
sold by Christie’s on November 9, 2000. They stated: “The arms and cypher are those of Ernst August I, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar (reg.
1728-1748). This is one of a number of similar pair of Ettersburg pistols, originally belonging to garnitures, but the present pair is exceptional in bearing Ernst
August I’s cipher, and can therefore be listed among his personal weapons.” These pistols were all part of hunting garnitures along with a
long gun and are believed to have been assembled for the Duke in Ettersburg from parts ordered from Brescia to fit out
large hunting parties and were maintained in the gun cabinet at Schloss Ettersburg until the collection was sold to E. Kahlert
& Sohn of Berlin in 1926-1927. The current pistols feature smoothbore barrels with blade front sights, girdles at the transition points,
ribbed breech sections marked “-LAZARINO - COMINAZO-” on top, and folding notch rear sights on at the breeches. The rounded locks
are signed “Gio Botti” and have scroll and grotesque mask chiseling with beaded backgrounds. Giovanni Botti is noted as active in
Brescia c. 1685-1720. The gilt mounts display cast and chiseled decoration en suite with the locks. The walnut stocks have light molding and incised lines
at the mid-sections. CONDITION: Very fine with mostly bright metal throughout, minor patination, minimal wear, and a few hairline cracks in the stock.
Mechanically functions.
B) Flintlock Pistol - NSN, 48 cal., 10 3/8 inch round bbl., bright/gold finish, walnut stock. See “A.” CONDITION: Very fine with mostly bright metal
throughout, minor patination, minimal wear, spliced forend with replacement band, and a few hairline cracks in the stock. Mechanically functions.
Provenance: The Collection of the Dukes of Saxe-Weimar at Schloss Ettersburg; E. Kahlert & Sohn; The George F. Harding Jr. Collection;
The Art Institute of Chicago.
Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500