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LOT 3325
Beautiful Cased Pair of Gold
Inlaid and Engraved Nicholas-
Noel Boutet Versailles
Manufactory Flintlock Pistols
-A) Boutet Flintlock Pistol -
Serial no. 208, 60 cal., 8 1/2
inch octagon bbl., blue/gold/
bright finish, walnut stock. This
beautiful pair of pistols from
the Manufacture d’Armes de
Versailles and Nicolas-Noel
Boutet is numbered 208 on the
barrels on the left towards the
breech. Nicholas-Noel Boutet
remains among the most
highly regarded makers of fine
arms in history and produced
much of his finest work while
Napoleon reigned in France.
His arms de luxe from the
Napoleonic era are among the
most valuable flintlock firearms
in the world, and many were
made as presentation pieces
for Napoleon’s officers and
allies. The .60 caliber, swamped,
octagonal barrels have fine “saw
tooth” rifling, dovetailed blade
front sights, gold bands with
engraved accents at the muzzles,
“Manufacre a Versailles” on the
upper left flats, “Boutet Directeur
Artiste” on the upper right flats,
and ornate gold panels with
engraving at the breeches, “LC”
to either side of an entwined
“NB” and then “NB,” “BOUTET,”
and “BC” maker’s marks at the
breech ends; notch rear sights,
and gold lined touch holes. The
bright polished upper tangs
have foliate engraving. The locks
are signed “Boutet/a Versailles” in
ornate script and are engraved
with borders and floral designs.
The steel mounts feature further
floral engraving. The full-length
stocks have finely checkered
wrists with carved borders. The
baleen ramrods have horn tips.
The pair comes in hardwood
case with dark green lining
closely fitted to the pistols and
the accessories, which include
a green leather bound powder
flask with gold floral borders,
screwdriver, mallet, loading and
cleaning rods, powder measure,
pick, worm, oiler, and ball mold.
CONDITION: Very fine overall
as professionally restored
with bright lock and furniture,
bright high polish blue finish
and nearly all of the lightly
aged gold on the barrel, crisp
markings and engraving, distinct
checkering, faint repairs on the
stock, and generally only minor
age and storage related wear.
Mechanically excellent. The case
and accessories are very good
with generally minor storage
wear, bright metal, and an
absent pin from the left hinge.
B) Boutet Flintlock Pistol -
Serial no. 208, 60 cal., 8 1/2 inch
octagon bbl., blue/gold/bright
finish, walnut stock.
As described in “A.”
CONDITION: Very fine overall
as professionally restored with
bright lock and mounts, bright
high polish blue and nearly
all of the lightly aged gold on
the barrel, a scratch on top of
the barrel, limited minor wear
including a scratch on top of
the barrel, distinct engraving
and markings, crisp checkering,
and mostly only minimal light
age and storage related wear.
Mechanically excellent. This is
a beautiful cased pair from the
legendary Versailles Manufactory
and Directeur Artiste
Nicolas-Noel Boutet!
Estimate: 35,000 - 55,000
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