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3322

INCREDIBLY RARE MATCHED BRACE OF DUCK-FOOT PISTOLS

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:8,000.00 USD Estimated At:16,000.00 - 25,000.00 USD
INCREDIBLY RARE MATCHED BRACE OF DUCK-FOOT PISTOLS
BY COLLIS OF OXFORD, SILVER MOUNTED. Cal. 48 Bore. NSN. Any original duck-foot pistol is rare, finding a silver mounted pair of high quality pistols like these is perhaps a once-in-a-life-time opportunity. Each pistol has four 3 3/8” turn-off cannon shaped barrels numbered to match breech sections. One pistol's numbers are “1, 2, 3, and 4” while on the other they are “5, 6, 7, and 8”. A London view proof is at bottom of breech section for each barrel. Boxlock flintlock actions have reinforced serpentine cocks and friction frizzens with springs dovetailed into breech sections. Triggers have scroll filed tips and double beaded guards engraved with floral bursts in diamonds. Otherwise breech sections are border engraved with “COLLIS” and “OXFORD” in scrolled banners on each side. Fruitwood stocks with bulbous grips are silver mounted with hallmarked grotesque mask butt caps. Hallmarks are for Birmingham sterling, date mark 1778-9, and maker Richard Bickley, who worked with the famed Matthew Boulton along with John Fothergill and Charles Freeth in Boulton's Soho manufactory. Freeth and Bickley specialized in gun mounts. Stocks are also decorated with inlet scrolled silver wire chinoiserie motifs. Vacant silver ovals are at tops of grips. CONDITION: good, complete with no noted replacement parts. Iron and steel parts cleaned to bright silver over lightly pitted surfaces. Stocks have wear, some silver wire lifted or missing, otherwise silver has lightly worn detail. Mechanically good. Pistol “1, 2, 3, 4” does not hold at half cock and jams at full cock. Pistol "5, 6, 7, 8" has crack on top tang at hand screw. Dark bore shows scattered pitting. Heer lists John Collis working in Oxford between 1782 and 1798. These interesting guns were the “street sweeper” of their day. (01-17437/MGM82). ANTIQUE. $16,000-25,000.
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