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A Fine And Rare French Flintlock Garniture Comprising A Pair Of 26-Bore Holster Pistols And An 18-Bore Fowling-Piece

BY LE LORRAIN A VALENCE, CIRCA 1690-1700

Details

A Fine And Rare French Flintlock Garniture Comprising A Pair Of 26-Bore Holster Pistols And An 18-Bore Fowling-Piece
By Le Lorrain A Valence, circa 1690-1700
The pistols each with tapering barrel with its original blued finish, sighting flat and silver fore-sight, the breech section cylindrical with mouldings at the front and rear, border engraved tang, border engraved rounded lock signed beneath the pan and with moulded border, moulded figured walnut full stock (repairs to each) with waved raised apron at the barrel tang, iron mounts (some light pitting) comprising elaborately pierced side-plate chiselled in relief with interlaced foliage involving grotesque masks and a male demi-figure, spurred pommel with faceted decoration, shaped trigger-guard with pierced foliate finial, elaborately pierced and chiselled escutcheon engraved with owner's coat-of-arms, spirally fluted ramrod-pipes, and original iron-capped ramrod; the fowling-piece en suite, with a raised longitudinal rib on each side of the breech and a band of foliage at the rear (scattered light pitting), shaped moulded butt-plate engraved 'No. 15' and with separate long waved tang in the form of a monstrous serpent of Simonin pattern book inspiration, four ramrod-pipes, and original iron-capped ramrod (fore-stock repaired, each stock with minor bruising)
The pistols 22in. (55.9cm.), the fowling-piece with 47¼in. (120cm.) barrel (3)

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

The coat-of-arms is that of the Counts of Hanau-Lichtenberg, probably for Philipp Reinhard (1664-1712), or Johann Reinhard (1665-1736)

Le Lorrain à Valence was one of the most distinguished of the 18th century French provincial gunmakers. See J.F. Hayward, The Art of the Gunmaker, vol II, p. 53, plates 96 and 106

Cf. a very similar holster pistol in the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. no. M. 10-1949), a fowling-piece sold in these Rooms, 20 February 1991, lot 109, and the companion garniture to the present lot, sold from the W. Keith Neal Collection in these Rooms, 8 November 1995, lot 176

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