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LOT 1280
Fine Cased Pair of Platinum and Silver Accented and Engraved Flintlock Officer’s
Pistols by Samuel Nock -A) S. Nock Flintlock Pistol - NSN, 65 cal., 9 3/8 inch octagon
bbl., brown/casehardened/platinum/silver/blue finish, walnut stock. These stunning
Napoleonic War era British officer’s pistols from Samuel Nock of London c. 1807 feature
“carbine bore” (.65 caliber) smoothbore Damascus barrels signed “S Nock. London. GUN
MAKER TO HIS MAJESTY.” on top and equipped with dovetailed blade front sights and
casehardened breech plugs with platinum bands, vent liners, and lined sunken “crown/S.
NOCK/LONDON” maker’s marks. The casehardened standing breeches have fixed notch
rear sights. The locks feature sunken “S. NOCK” maker’s marks, sliding half-cock safeties,
stepped tails, and frizzen spring rollers. The engraving consists primarily of martial trophy,
floral, and burst patterns, and the trigger plates have stylized pineapple finials. The trigger
guards are spurred. The forend caps are silver. The figured walnut half-stocks have fine
diamond checkering on the wrists. The pair comes in a mahogany case with a later Samuel
Nock trade label, green baize lining, and loading and maintenance equipment. Greg Lampe
noted that this pair came from Roy G. Cole and were housed in the Royal Hamilton Light
Infantry Heritage Museum in Ontario, Canada.
CONDITION: Fine with 75% plus of the lightly fading original brown finish, mostly muted
patterns of original case colors, bright platinum, aged patina on the silver, 75% plus original
blue finish, crisp engraving and markings, and minimal light wear mainly from storage. The
stock is very fine and has crisp checkering, attractive figure, a tiny hairline crack and dings
on the left at the breech, and nearly all of the original glossy varnish. Mechanically excellent.
The case and accessories are fine with mild age and storage related wear, including a
crack in the lid. B) S. Nock Flintlock Pistol - NSN, 65 cal., 9 3/8 inch octagon bbl., brown/
casehardened/platinum/silver/blue finish, walnut stock. As described in “A.”
CONDITION: Fine with 60% plus of the lightly fading original brown finish and minor
spotting, mostly muted patterns of original case colors, bright platinum, aged patina on the
silver, 75% plus original blue finish, crisp engraving and markings, and minimal light wear
mainly from storage. The stock is also near excellent and has crisp checkering, attractive
figure, minimal wear, and nearly all of the original glossy varnish. Mechanically excellent.
This is an extraordinarily high condition cased pair of officer’s pistols from well-known royal
gun maker Samuel Nock.
Provenance: The Roy G. Cole Collection at the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Heritage
Museum; The Greg Lampe Collection.
Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
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