‡ A FINE PAIR OF 25 BORE FRENCH SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK PISTOLS BY BARGE, PARIS CHARGE AND

‡ A FINE PAIR OF 25 BORE FRENCH SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK PISTOLS BY BARGE, PARIS CHARGE AND DISCHARGE MARKS FOR 1756-62, MAISON COMMUNE MARK FOR 1758 with blued three-stage barrels, fitted with silver fore-sights on a gilt bed of swirling clouds and a sunburst, decorated with bands of gilt beadwork and foliage about the muzzles, an elaborate classical trophy-of-arms at the median, gilt bands around the muzzles, signed in gold over the breeches, decorated with scrollwork and stylised clam shells within a framework of punched and gilt pellets (the blueing now oxidised to brown), border-engraved tangs decorated with differing trophies-of-arms, bevelled locks signed within rococo scrollwork frames, chiselled with trophies on the tails, foliage on the cocks and stylised espagnolette masks on the steels, all against a finely punched and gilt ground (one top-jaw expertly replaced), figured walnut full stocks carved in low relief with linear mouldings over the fore-ends, a wavy pattern beneath the locks, sprays of laurel, fronds and flowers behind the rear ramrod-pipes and about the barrel tangs, silver mounts cast and chased with rococo ornament in low relief against a gilt fishroe ground, comprising side-plates involving a pair of cornucopia carrying an oval engraved with differing trophies en suite with the respective tangs, trigger-guards with flaming urn finials, the bows engraved with trophies matching the tangs, spurred pommels decorated with rococo shell ornament and trophies against a finely punched and gilt ground, a pair of ramrod-pipes, original horn-tipped ramrods, and remaining in fine condition throughout, 38cm (2) Provenance Property of a European Collector, sold in this room 9th December 2009, lot 269. Henri Barge is recorded arquebusier in Paris circa 1740-80.