‡ A RARE PAIR OF 23 BORE FRENCH COLONIAL SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK PISTOLS SIGNED BOURDICE, ST

‡ A RARE PAIR OF 23 BORE FRENCH COLONIAL SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK PISTOLS SIGNED BOURDICE, ST PIERRE, MARTINIQUE, CIRCA 1790 each with copper alloy brass barrel formed in two-stages, moulded muzzle, median and breech, the latter finely chiselled with an elaborate classical trophy-of-arms suspended from a garland beneath a sunburst and a thunder cloud, border-engraved iron tang, signed rounded border-engraved copper alloy lock, fitted with moulded cock and copper alloy pan (one cock repaired, top-jaws and screws replaced), figured full stock carved with a bouquet about the tang, full silver mounts comprising spurred pommel finely chased with foliage and engraved with border ornament, side-plate decorated with a central garland on a finely matted ground, trigger-guard chased en suite with the breech and with acorn finial, vacant escutcheon, two ramrod-pipes and one with silver-tipped ramrod with worm, probably the original, 17.5 cm barrels (2) Saint-Pierre had a permanent French fishing settlement established in 1604, subsequently it was exchanged between the French and British several times until restored permanently to France in 1816 under the 1814 Treaty of Paris.