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The pair comes in a very elaborate hardwood case with a combination of contrasting woods, a four leaf design on the lid, an engraved key escutcheon and a closely fitted interior with green lining holding the pistols and a suite of accessories which include a loading and cleaning rod with attachments, a mallet, a “1701.2” marked ball mold and combination screwdriver/nipple wrench, a heart shaped sight adjustment key, a nickel-silver powder measure, and key.
Franz von Gmainer is identified as promoted to major on May 28, 1834, in “Militair Handbuch des Koenigreiches Bayern 1838” and was a staff officer of the 13th Line Infantry Regiment led by Colonel Freidrich Hertling. Hertling was later lieutenant general and briefly acting War Minister of Bavaria under King Ludwig I. A history
of Franz von Gmainer’s family in German titled “Denkschrift ben Freiherrlichen Geburs=Stand der Eblen Herren von Gmainer zum un auf dem Schonstein...”was published in 1867 which discusses his request to be admitted to the nobility based on his ancestry and notes that he was a former captain in Graf Fugger’s Chevau- legers Regiment and was a chamberlain, lieutenant colonel, and wing adjutant to King Ludwig I. The latter was king of Bavia from 1825 until his abdication during the revolutions of 1848 in favor of Maximilian II, his son.
CONDITION: Excellent with 97% vibrant original casehardened finish and only minimal light handling and storage marks, crisp engraving, bright gold, light aged patina and some verdigris on the furniture, and some very minor spots of oxidation staining on the barrel. The stock is also excellent and has crisp raised relief carving and checkering, and minimal light handling and storage wear concentrated on the left flat. Mechanically excellent. The case and accessories are very fine with mild age and storage related wear mainly on the case exterior which has some slight hairline age related cracks visible. B) Goellner Rifled Percussion Pistol - NSN, 50 cal., 6 7/8 inch octagon bbl., gray/gold/casehardened/silver finish, relief carved, inlaid walnut stock. See “A.”
CONDITION: Excellent, very comparable to the other pistol. The pistol exhibits only minor age and storage related wear. The engraving and markings remain crisp. The gold remains bright. The silver has attractive lightly aged patina and some light verdigris. The barrel has a few small spots of oxidation. The stock is also excellent and has crisp raised relief carving, smooth finish, and minimal handling and storage marks mainly on the left flat. Mechanically excellent. This is an incredible pair of presentation pistols certainly worthy of an influential Bavarian officer in the 1830s. The write cannot recall a finer example of this type that we have offered at auction! Provenance: The Mac McCroskie Collection.
Estimate: 95,000 - 150,000