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LOT 268
Very Fine Documented Cased John Donaghy, Amsterdam Retailed Lefaucheux Patent Six-Shot Double Action Pinfire Revolver from the Famous Henk L. Visser Collection - Serial no. 40609, 11 mm cal., 6 1/4 inch bbl., bright finish, checkered walnut grips. With round sighted barrel stamped “E. LEFAUCHEUX/INV.R BREVETÉ” on the left side of the breech end and with cartridge extractor rod to the right side. Cylinder and frame engraved with flower heads and sprays of foliage, the frame extending to form the grip strap with large lanyard loop. The pommel of the grip strap and trigger guard engraved en suite. Checkered walnut grips. Liege proof marks. In original fitted mahogany case lined in green baize, the lid with printed John Donaghy trade label. With accessories including iron bullet mold serial numbered to the revolver, wooden cleaning rod, turnscrew, sprung tool for seating pinfire firing caps inside a cartridge, turned wooden pot containing pinfire firing caps, and brass mounted lacquered copper powder flask. See G. de Vries and B.J. Martens, “The Visser Collection”, vol. 1, part 4, pp. 522-523, cat. no. 911. CONDITION: Fine. The revolver retains a highly polished finish overall with some scattered patches of surface corrosion marking. Engraving is clear throughout, and the very fine grips have well-defined checkering. Mechanically excellent. The case and accessories are very good, some age related wear and staining to the case lining, and evidence of heating on the bullet mold. The powder flask and turned wooden pot are excellent. Provenance: The H.L. Visser Collection; Property of a Gentleman. Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK THE VISSER COLLECTION, VOL. I, PART 4
LOT 269
Exceptional Cased Pair of Deluxe Engraved and Gold Inlaid Unzueta e Hijos Double Action Pinfire Revolvers
-A) Unzueta e Hijos Revolver - NSN, 11 mm cal., 4 3/4 inch part octagon
bbl., blue/gold/straw finish, antique ivory grips. Pinfire revolvers were the first widely used metallic cartridge handguns and were popular in Europe in the mid-19th century. This deluxe pair is certainly among the finer examples and is the finest pair manufactured by Unzueta e Hijos (Unzueta & Sons) of Santander on the north coast of Spain. They were manufactured around the 1860s. The barrels have gold bands
at the muzzles, bead front sights
on raised bases, “UNZUETA E HIJOS
SANTANDER” and scroll patterns in gold
inlay, and octagonal breech sections.
The cylinders and frame have relief
engraved scroll patterns with textured
backgrounds. The front of the cylinders
also have “B.U.” The “A” gun has “1”
on the cylinder and breech face. The
hammers and triggers have straw
colors. The revolvers also have ejector
rods on the right and lanyard loops. The later custom made case also contains a cleaning rod and a screwdriver.
CONDITION: Very fine with 90% original straw colors on the hammer, light aging on the gold, 80% original blue finish, gray and brown patina on the balance, and minor wear on the grips. Mechanically excellent. The relined case is very good and has mild storage wear.
B) Unzueta e Hijos Revolver - NSN, 11 mm cal., 4 3/4 inch part octagon bbl., blue/gold/straw finish, antique ivory grips. See “A.” CONDITION: Very fine with 85% original straw colors on the hammer, light aging on the gold, 70% original blue finish, gray and brown patina on the balance, and minor wear on the grips. Mechanically excellent. This is a beautiful, matched pair of pinfire revolvers. You don’t often find pinfire revolvers with this quality and level of embellishment.
Provenance: The Dr. Gerald Klaz Collection; Property of a Gentleman.
260 Estimate: 8,500 - 13,000