Beschreibung:

A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF 20-BORE SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK PISTOLS BY HENRY HADLEY, LONDON, CIRCA 1765 With two-stage barrels in the Spanish manner, each retaining their original deeply blued finish and with gold spider fore-sight and gilt girdle, the breeches each inlaid with numerous decorative gold marks with three parallel gold lines at the rear and large gold lining around each touch-hole, the top flat with Hadley's own two gold-lined stamps in the Spanish fashion, grooved tangs finely engraved with flowers, foliage, birds, musical instruments and a grotesque mask, all on a matted ground, flat locks each signed on the lower moulded border and finely engraved with an elaborate panoply of arms, flowers and foliage, also on a matted ground, large engraved safety-catches, gold-lined pans and steels, highly figured walnut full stocks finely carved with rococo ornament in relief at the barrel tangs, and inlaid with rococo designs in silver wire, dots, and engraved silver plaques, full silver mounts of the highest quality cast and chased in high relief with martial trophies involving figures of Victory and Britannia, the escutcheons engraved with the arms of Clerk of Penicuik (Scotland), set triggers, finely engraved turned ramrod-pipes, and original silver-mounted ramrods, the head of one forming a powder-measure, the external screws (other than the jaw screws) each with squared recess in the head, both pistols preserved in exceptional original condition throughout, London proof marks and Foreigner's mark 17in. (43.2cm.) (2)