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LOT 1265
Desirable Boutet Versailles Boxlock Flintlock Pocket
Pistol - NSN, 53 cal., 1 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut grips. This
small flintlock pocket pistol is the same basic form as the pocket pistols
from the famous Napoleon garniture and is signed “Boutet/Directeur artiste”
on the right and “Manufact/a Versailles” on the left and has some light floral
and border engraving. “1” is marked on the bottom of the barrel and action.
The action has a sliding safety button on top, and the pistol has a finely checkered walnut grip.
Boxlock pocket pistols like this were popular products of from Boutet both at Versailles and
when he returned to private life in Paris after the fall of Napoleon. Similar examples can be seen in
Dean Taylor’s American Society of Arms Collectors article “The Pocket Pistols (Pistolet l’Ecossaise) of Nicholas Noel Boutet,” particularly the example on page 68 from Taylor’s collection which is nearly identical from what can be seen. An “18” or “81” removable inventory number is on the lower tang.
CONDITION: Very good with mostly silver-gray patina, some light pitting, and general mild wear. The grip is also very good and has mild handling wear and light scratches and dings. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Collection of Joe M. Wanenmacher Jr.
Estimate: 5,500 - 8,500
LOT 1267
Scarce Pair of French Model 1814 Gardes du Corps du Roi Flintlock Pistols -A) Maubeuge Model 1814 Pistol -
NSN, 69 cal., 8 inch round bbl., blue/gold finish, walnut stock. This pair is one
of just a total of 510 pairs (123 pairs 1814 and 387 pairs in 1815) manufactured at the royal arms
manufactory in Maubeuge for the Gardes du Corps du Roi (the Life/Body Guards of King Louis
XVIII) during the Bourbon Restoration and 100 Days. This unit was part of the Maison Militaire
du Roi de France and had historical counterparts reaching back centuries and was reformed
when Louis XVIII took the throne but only around 450 men from across the entire household
units accompanied the king in his flight upon Napoleon’s return. The Gardes du Corps du Roi,
unlike most of the household units, continued to exist during the second restoration and was finally dissolved after the July Revolution in 1830. The smoothbore barrels have “Garde du Corps du Roi” in gold script and gold “CA” marks for inspector C. Alphand and bands at the breech end. The locks are marked “Maubeuge/Manufactre Rle” and have some floral engraving on the screws. The brass furniture includes a fleur-de-lis style finial on the trigger guards and oval escutcheon with three fleurs-de-lis surrounded by a laurel wreath and topped by the French crown. The stocks have small cartouches on the top of the wrists and left flats. The iron ramrods have trumpet shaped tips.
CONDITION: Very good with strong original gold at the breech end and faint Gardes du Corps du Roi inscription with stronger gold at the front and rear, dark brown patina and mild oxidation/pitting on the balance of the barrel, mottled gray patina and some mild pitting on the lock, aged patina on the furniture, and mild
overall wear. The refinished stock is also very good and has mild dings and scratches, a few insect holes/marks, and good cartouches. Mechanically fine. B) Maubeuge Model 1814 Pistol - NSN, 69 cal.,
8 inch round bbl., blue/gold finish, walnut stock. See “A.”
CONDITION: Very good with half of the original gold and clear markings on the barrel, mottled brown on the balance, mottled gray patina on the lock, mild oxidation/pitting, aged patina on the furniture, and mild overall wear. The
refinished stock is also very good
and has numerous small insect
spots on the wrist and mild dings
and scratches. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Collection of
Joe M. Wanenmacher Jr.
Estimate: 6,500 - 9,500
LOT 1266
Engraved and Gold Inlaid Allary Marked French Flintlock Pistol with Raised
Relief Carved Stock and Silver Wire Inlay - NSN, 58 cal., 8 5/8 inch part octagon bbl.,
blue/gold/bright finish, hardwood stock. This mid-18th century pistol has a smoothbore barrel with a silvered brass blade front sight flanked by gold scroll and floral inlays, a gold inlaid border on the sighting flat, gold
inlaid floral and scroll patterns on the octagonal breech section, and a gold band at the breech. The tang, lock, and brass furniture have scroll and border engraving. The lock is signed “Allary/a St Etienne.” The stock has a
false flame figure finish, silver wire inlays, nice molding, and raised relief floral and scroll carving.
CONDITION: Fine with 40% original blue finish mixed with dark brown patina and some mild pitting on the barrel as well as 75% plus of the gold accents, mostly bright lock with some light oxidation, aged patina on the furniture and silver wire inlays, and mild overall wear. The stock is very good with even moderate wear, minor cracking at the front barrel pin, scattered dings and scratches, some absent wire inlay mainly along the pommel stirrups, and general mild dings and scratches.
Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Collection of Joe
M. Wanenmacher Jr.
Estimate: 2,500 - 4,000
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