A 60 BORE D.B. SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK SINGLE TRIGGER TURN-OFF PISTOL BY BARBAR, LONDON, PRIVATE

A 60 BORE D.B. SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK SINGLE TRIGGER TURN-OFF PISTOL BY BARBAR, LONDON, PRIVATE PROOF MARKS, MAKER’S MARK OF CHARLES FREETH, CIRCA 1771-3 with reblued turn-off cannon barrels, faceted breeches and box-lock action boldly chiselled with scrolling rococo flowers and foliage, inscribed ‘London’ on a scroll and struck with proof marks on the right, signed on a scroll and fitted with sliding pan cut-off with lever on the left, cock, top-jaw and steel chiselled en suite, walnut butt profusely inlaid with silver wire scrolls and pellets, silver butt-cap cast and chased with a grotesque mask, and silver escutcheon engraved with owner's crested initials ‘RD’, 11.3 cm barrels Provenance Privately purchased from Mrs. Bernice Hoath, 8th March 2011 James (1) Barbar was the son of Lewis to whom he was apprenticed in 1714. He became free of the Gunmakers' Company 1722, was elected Assistant, 1737 and became Master in 1742. He was appointed Gentleman Armourer to George II, 1741. He retired in 1767 and died in 1773. The crest is that of Durham.