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AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK EARLY FIREARMS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND FROM THE COLLECTION OF CLAY P. BEDFORD BY THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
LOT 214
Extremely Rare Documented Gilded, Silver Mounted,
and Engraved Ball Reservoir “Flintlock” Air Pistol with
Brass Barrel by Bate of London with Pump and Spare
Ball Reservoir - NSN, 28 , 13 7/8 inch octagon bbl., silver/gold finish, walnut stock. Edward Bate (1743-1810) was one of the
most talented late 18th century and early 19th century air gun makers and was active in London. He was among the few who produced high quality air pistols in multiple formats as can be seen by the rare examples in this auction. The silver mounts have London hallmarks including “M-B” (Moses Brent c. 1775-1817) and “O” date code (1809). This pistol is documented on p. 149-150 and plate 162 of “Early Firearms of Great Britain and Ireland from
the Collection of Clay P. Bedford” by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (incorrectly listed as by Thomas Bate). A similar pistol by Bate is also in the Collections of the Royal Armories, Leeds (No. XII.3834) with silver hallmarks for 1785. The rifled barrel is gilded brass and has a silver blade front sight, “-BATE-LONDON-” signature, notch rear sight and engraving on the tang, and silver under rib. It has a single set trigger. The lock is marked “-BATE-” and has border and martial engraving as does the silver furniture. A small “2” (indicating this was the second pistol of a pair) is marked on the stock below the silver escutcheon. The back of the wrist has an engraved key slot for mounting a now absent shoulder stock. The stock also has silver wedge escutcheons and a finely checkered wrist. A brass mounted copper ball reservoir, almost certainly original, is fitted to the pistol, and a second iron ball reservoir with modern brass attachment is included. It also includes a stirrup pump complete with checkered wooden handle and iron foot plate.
CONDITION: Fine with small patches of original gilding, aged patina on the exposed surfaces of the barrel, attractive tarnish on the silver, gray and brown patina on the lock, and minor marks and scratches. The stock is also fine aside from a repaired crack between the lock and reservoir and has crisp checkering and minor scrapes and dings. The lock is mechanically fine. The pump is fine with crisp checkering, mottled patina, and generally only mild aging. Provenance: The Clay P. Bedford Collection; The Collection of Joe M. Wanenmacher Jr.
Estimate: 6,000 - 9,000
LOT 215
Engraved Forsyth Second Model Sliding
Primer Traveling
Pistol - NSN, 10 Bore cal., 6 1/2 inch flat top round bbl., brown/casehardened/
silver finish, walnut stock. Reverend Alexander Forsyth was instrumental in the
development of use of mercury fulminate as a replacement for flint and steel as
an ignition source and the transition to percussion ignition. Forsyth’s work was critical and innovative, but his
self-priming systems were potentially dangerous since the primer reservoir could detonate. This large bore traveling or “man-stopper” pistol is his second design and is very similar to the pistol shown as item 82 in on page 43 of “English Pistols” by Howard L. Blackmore that is identified as manufactured in 1827, and uses the same system
as some earlier examples shown in “Forsyth & Co.: Patent Gunmakers” by W. Keith Neal & D.H.L. Back (see illustration 36 for example). The smoothbore barrel has a flat top with a bead front sight and “FORSYTH & CO. PATENT GUN MAKERS LONDON,” a swivel mounted ramrod underneath, and a casehardened patent
breech with platinum bands. The standing breech has a notch rear sight and floral and scroll engraving. The lock has “FORYSTH & Co/PATENT” and scroll, floral, and border engraving including a mask design below the primer mechanism. There are no visible serial numbers, but the pistol was not
disassembled. The squareback trigger guard and pommel have scroll engraving, and the wedge escutcheons and wrist escutcheon are silver. CONDITION: Very good with dark brown patina and mild pitting on the barrel and furniture, slightly lighter patina on the lock, crisp engraving, distinct
lock markings, legible but faint barrel marking, and moderate overall wear. The hammer and primer mechanism are professionally made and artificially aged replacements. The stock is fine and has crisp checkering, much of the original finish, a small repair visible at the front of the lock, thin crack on the left at the breech, and mild dings and scratches. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Collection of Joe M. Wanenmacher Jr.
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
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