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LOT 1265
Exceptional Pair of Silver Mounted and Engraved H.W. Mortimer Flintlock Holster Pistols with Paktong Lock Plates and Hallmarks for 1783 -A) H.W. Mortimer Holster Pistol - NSN, 65 cal., 9 1/4 inch part octagon bbl., brass/paktong/silver finish, walnut stock. This late 18th century pair of holster/officer’s pistols from Harvey Walklate Mortimer (1753-1819) has smoothbore brass barrels with silver blade front sights with flush inlaid silver “spider” bases, gold vent liners, “-H.W. MORTIMER- -LONDON-” signed on the upper flats, engraved accents including star patterns, “crown/HM” maker’s marks flanked by London proof and view marks on the upper left flats, and beaded border designs at the breech ends. The bright iron standing breeches include fixed notch rear sights and have floral engraving. The rare and unusual paktong
lock plates are signed “H.W. MORTIMER”
and have sliding half-cock safeties, light floral and burst engraving, stepped tails, and frizzen rollers. The furniture is silver
and includes acorn finials on the trigger guards, light borders, floral accents, and classical martial trophies. The ramrod tips are also silver. The trigger guard tangs have London hallmarks, including the “h” date codes for 1783 and “MB” maker’s marks (Moses Brent). The full-length stocks have checkered wrists. The silver wrist escutcheons are inscribed with griffin heads and torses over the initials “JA.” Given these are “carbine bore,” the initials may be for the English officer who first owned these pistols at the end of the American Revolutionary War. CONDITION: Fine overall with attractive aged patina on the brass, silver, and paktong, mostly silver-gray patina on the iron components, and generally light age and storage related wear. The markings and engraving remain distinct. The stock is also fine and has crisp checkering, some cracks in the forend tip, and light scratches and dings. Mechanically fine. B) H.W. Mortimer Holster Pistol - NSN, 65 cal., 9 1/4 inch part octagon bbl., brass/paktong/silver finish, walnut stock. See “A.” CONDITION: Fine overall with attractive aged patina on the brass, silver, and paktong, mostly silver- gray patina on the iron components, and generally light age and storage related wear. The markings and engraving remain distinct. The stock is also fine and has crisp checkering, a split in the forend tip, small bits of filler at the front wedge, and light scratches and dings. Mechanically fine. Overall, this is a very attractive and distinctive pair of British pistols by a renowned gunmaker right at the end of the American Revolutionary War. Estimate: 8,000 - 12,000 LOT 1266 Exceptional Pair of Relief Chiseled, Gold Inlaid, and Engraved Colnot of Vienna Flintlock Dueling Pistols -A) Colnot Dueling Pistol - NSN, 50 cal., 9 1/4 inch octagon bbl., blue/gold/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Philipp Colnot was active c. 1800-1817. This classic pair of Napoleonic era dueling pistols originated in the shop of Colnot in Vienna but show significant French influence, including from the famous Versailles Manufactory led by Nicolas Noel Boutet. Dueling was common in the period, including between rival officers within the armies. Losing officers in personal combat made military leaders in various countries work to limit the practice. The swamped barrels feature interesting rifling with four widely spaced sets of three narrow and shallow grooves. This may have been intended to disguise the rifling as they appear smoothbore at a glance at the muzzle and/or to attempt to get some of the accuracy benefits of rifling while still largely having smoothbore barrels. The barrels have dovetailed silver blade front sights, surrounded by gold floral inlays, “Colnot” in gold inlay with floral accents on top, gold vent liners, and gold bands and floral designs at the breech. The tangs have notch rear sights and “1” and “2.” The locks have “guttered” rainproof pans, frizzen spring rollers, “in Wien” in gold inlay, and border and classical martial engraving. They are fired with single set triggers. The ramrod pipes have chevron patterns. The entry pipe finials, trigger guards, and pommel caps have raised relief chiseled floral patterns. The full-length stocks have scale pattern wrist checkering and flared pommels, and the ramrods have horn tips. CONDITION: Fine with 60% of the original blue finish on the barrel, mostly mottled dark gray patina on the lock and furniture, mild oxidation, and the vast majority of the original bright gold inlay remaining. The stock is also fine and has crisp scale checkering, a few cracks and repairs, and general mild scratches and dings. Mechanically fine. B) Colnot Dueling Pistol - NSN, 50 cal., 9 1/4 inch octagon bbl.,
blue/gold/casehardened finish, walnut stock. See “A.” CONDITION: Fine with 60% of the original blue finish, bright original gold inlays, mottled gray patina on the lock and furniture, and mild oxidation. The stock is fine and has crisp scale checkering, a few hairline cracks, and mild dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
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