Details
A RARE PAIR OF NORTH ITALIAN FLINTLOCK HOLSTER PISTOLS with three-stage barrels separated by turned mouldings, octagonal breeches chiselled with foliage berries, and with two gold-lined counterfeit maker's stamps of Geronimo Fernandez of Madrid (Neue Støckel 364, 365), chiselled tangs, signed bevelled locks each engraved with the figure of Diana in a chariot drawn by a cherub blowing a trumpet, and a trophy of arms against a stippled ground on the stepped tail, pierced and chiselled bevelled cocks engraved with foliage against a stippled ground, steels chiselled with a grotesque mask, moulded highly figured walnut full stocks partially carved with foliage, and with a demi-figure and trophy of arms around each barrel tang, iron mounts in the French style including elaborately pierced side-plate chiselled with an angle blowing a trumpet, a trophy of arms, cornucopie and foliage, pierced shaped escutcheon with central roundel engraved with crowned arms, a winged putto-mask above and a grotesque mask below, spurred faceted pommels with sun in splendour pommel-caps each framed by a design of stippled petals, turned and fluted ramrod-pipes, the rear ones with winged putto-mask, horn fore-end caps, and original ramrods each with iron tip chiselled with a sun in splendour, by Sonio, Ivrea, circa 1720-30
20¾in. (2)
