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Details
A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF NAPOLEONIC SILVER-MOUNTED RIFLED PRESENTATION FLINTLOCK PISTOLS
BY BOUTET & FILS, VERSAILLES, SERIAL NO. 345, CIRCA 1809
With swamped octagonal barrels each secured by two barrel-keys, cut with multi-groove rifling, engraved and gilt with Empire foliate scrollwork at the muzzle and breech, and the mid-section delicately matted and heightened with gilt stars. Each muzzle with gilt blade front sight and each breech section struck with maker’s marks contained by the engraved ornament and with the serial number to left side. Standing breeches each of burnished steel, engraved with further Empire scrollwork and incorporating a notched rear sight. ‘Screwless’ flat bevelled locks of burnished steel respectively signed “Boutet & Fils” and “Versailles”, the side nail screws securing each lock are accessed by partly releasing the tang screw on the standing breech which in turn releases the silver side-plate. The lock-plates feature slightly raised gold-lined priming pans and the plates and cocks are each finely engraved with mythical beasts. Border engraved burnished steel trigger-plates each with single set trigger. Well figured walnut full length stocks profusely inlaid with silver plaques finely engraved with Empire ornament including on each side of the butt a large Imperial eagle grasping Jupiter’s thunderbolt (foudre) with the Insignia of the Grand Aigle of the Légion d’Honneur above. Fine silver mounts struck with Paris assay marks used up to 1809 and cast and chased in high relief with neo-Classical symbols including trigger guards each bearing a standing figure of Jupiter on the bow with an Imperial eagle perched on a column forming the finial, pommels each bearing a portrait bust of Athena, and the rear ramrod-pipes each with a portrait bust of Jupiter and a small tubular section bearing Classical figures flanking a burning altar. The spine of each butt has an unadorned silver plaque probably intended for a presentation dedication. Solid cast and chased silver side-plates each steeped in neo-Classical symbolism involving a recumbent Classical youth wearing only a laurel wreath leaning against an altar bearing an Eye of Providence whilst holding a roman fasces in his left hand and a quadrant in his right, at his feet lies a lion with an altar and tablet behind, to his rear is the l’Ecole Militaire with a globe atop a pile of books with a martial trophy laid across the ground, to the front of the lion is a cloud of smoke with a vanquished Harpy crawling away from the youth, to the front of the Harpy is a depiction of a military encampment with buildings behind, probably representing the Champs de Mars and Les Invalides. With silver-tipped wooden ramrods each with threaded brass fitting. The pair in a modern brass-cornered wooden close-fitted case lined with dark blue velvet, in the centre of the case between the two pistols is a silver plaque engraved “Early 19th Century Presentation Pistols / by / NICHOLAS(sic) NOEL BOUTET”.
14 1⁄2 in. (37 cm.) long overall, 8 1⁄2 in. (21.7 cm.) barrels; the case 3 3⁄4 in. (9.5 cm.) high, 19 3⁄4 in. (50.3 cm.) wide, 10 1⁄4 in. (26 cm.) deep
Provenance
Possibly Emperor Napoleon I, (1769-1821).
The Imperial Russian Collection, formerly in the Palace of Tzarskoe Selo, St. Petersburg.
William Goodwin Renwick, Sold, Sotheby's, London, 17 July 1972, lot 38.
Literature
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Loan Exhibition of European Arms and Armor, 3 August – 27 September 1931, p. 96 (noted as “From the Hermitage”).
F. Davis, The Illustrated London News, 26 December 1931, p. 1060, fig. 4.
Bulletin of the City Art Museum of St. Louis, January 1940, p. 14, pl. II (e).
T. Hoopes, “Firearms of Princes”, p. 6, pl. 2.
Exhibited
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1931, cat. no. 393.
City Art Museum, St. Louis, 1939.
Special notice
This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.