A FINE PAIR OF 40-BORE SAXON WHEEL-LOCK HOLSTER PISTOLS OF EXCEPTIONAL LENGTH

BY HANS STOCKMANN, DRESDEN, CIRCA 1610

Details

A FINE PAIR OF 40-BORE SAXON WHEEL-LOCK HOLSTER PISTOLS OF EXCEPTIONAL LENGTH
By Hans Stockmann, Dresden, circa 1610
With slender 24¾in. (62.8cm.) barrels of octagonal section with a stepped moulding fore and aft (some minor surface pitting), the breeches each with stamped decoration enclosing the maker's initials 'H S' (Neue Støckel 8295), plain locks each with circular wheel-retaining bracket and sliding pan-cover with slotted release-button, fruitwood full stocks inlaid with engraved white staghorn plaques (some expertly replaced), the side-nail washers in the form of snails and marine monsters, behind the barrel tangs a small staghorn plaque engraved with the stockmaker's initials 'G Z', staghorn-inlaid fluted pear-shaped pommels each with turned horn finial, iron trigger-guards, engraved staghorn ramrod-pipes, and wooden ramrods each with engraved staghorn tip
35½in. (90.2cm.) (2)

Lot Essay

Probably from The Saxon Royal Armouries, Dresden Hans Stockmann of Dresden is recorded as working between 1590 and 1639. He supplied a considerable number of holster pistols for use by the bodyguard of the Elector Christian II (d. 1611), but all examples sold in recent times are considerably shorter and do not have octagonal barrels. The only comparable pair appears to be that from the collections of Richard P. Mellon and Sam Bloomfield, sold by Sotheby & Co., London, on 22 March 1972, lot 240 (£12,500)

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