BY SCHMEISER À EISENACH, DATED 1728
Details
A VERY FINE PAIR OF 20-BORE GERMAN FLINTLOCK HOLSTER PISTOLS IN THE PARISIAN TASTE
BY SCHMEISER à EISENACH, DATED 1728
WITH TWO-STAGE BARRELS, THE FORWARD SECTION ETCHED IN IMITATION OF TURKISH TWIST AND FITTED WITH SILVER FORE-SIGHT, THE BREECHES CHISELLED IN RELIEF WITH FOLIAGE AND A MARTIAL TROPHY SURMOUNTED BY A BALDACHIN, WITH DRAPERY AND A SHELL BENEATH, ALL ON A GILT FISHROE GROUND, ENGRAVED TANGS DECORATED WITH A PROFILE PORTRAIT BUST, FLAT BEVELLED LOCKS CHISELLED AND GILT WITH SCROLLWORK AND SIGNED AND DATED ON A RIBBON, THE STEELS WITH A GROTESQUE MASK, FINELY FIGURED WALNUT FULL STOCKS CARVED WITH SCROLLWORK AND FOLIAGE IN RELIEF AND A GROTESQUE MASK BEHIND EACH BARREL TANG (ONE BUTT REPAIRED), IRON MOUNTS CHISELLED IN LOW RELIEF AGAINST A GILT FISHROE GROUND, THE POMMEL-CAPS AND SIDE-PLATES EACH WITH A PORTRAIT MEDALLION, THE FORMER WEARING ARMOUR, SILVER ESCUTCHEONS BETWEEN LION SUPPORTERS AND BEARING GOLD MONOGRAM OF THE LETTER 'F' BELOW A PRINCELY CROWN, ENGRAVED FACETED RAMROD-PIPES, AND ORIGINAL IRON-CAPPED WOODEN RAMRODS
20¼IN. (51.4CM.)
PRESUMABLY MADE TO THE ORDER OF JOHANN WILHELM, DUKE OF SACHSEN-EISENACH (1698-1729) FOR PRESENTATION TO THE NOBLEMAN WHOSE INITIAL 'F' IS SET ON THE ESCUTCHEONS. THE PORTRAIT ON ONE POMMEL-CAP IS PROBABLY THAT OF JOHANN WILHELM, AND THOSE ON THE OTHER MOUNTS MAY REPRESENT THE RECIPIENT, OR THE DONOR'S PREDECESSORS AS DUKES OF SACHSEN-EISENACH, JOHANN GEORG I (1668-1686) AND JOHANN GEORG II (1686-1698) (2)
BY SCHMEISER à EISENACH, DATED 1728
WITH TWO-STAGE BARRELS, THE FORWARD SECTION ETCHED IN IMITATION OF TURKISH TWIST AND FITTED WITH SILVER FORE-SIGHT, THE BREECHES CHISELLED IN RELIEF WITH FOLIAGE AND A MARTIAL TROPHY SURMOUNTED BY A BALDACHIN, WITH DRAPERY AND A SHELL BENEATH, ALL ON A GILT FISHROE GROUND, ENGRAVED TANGS DECORATED WITH A PROFILE PORTRAIT BUST, FLAT BEVELLED LOCKS CHISELLED AND GILT WITH SCROLLWORK AND SIGNED AND DATED ON A RIBBON, THE STEELS WITH A GROTESQUE MASK, FINELY FIGURED WALNUT FULL STOCKS CARVED WITH SCROLLWORK AND FOLIAGE IN RELIEF AND A GROTESQUE MASK BEHIND EACH BARREL TANG (ONE BUTT REPAIRED), IRON MOUNTS CHISELLED IN LOW RELIEF AGAINST A GILT FISHROE GROUND, THE POMMEL-CAPS AND SIDE-PLATES EACH WITH A PORTRAIT MEDALLION, THE FORMER WEARING ARMOUR, SILVER ESCUTCHEONS BETWEEN LION SUPPORTERS AND BEARING GOLD MONOGRAM OF THE LETTER 'F' BELOW A PRINCELY CROWN, ENGRAVED FACETED RAMROD-PIPES, AND ORIGINAL IRON-CAPPED WOODEN RAMRODS
20¼IN. (51.4CM.)
PRESUMABLY MADE TO THE ORDER OF JOHANN WILHELM, DUKE OF SACHSEN-EISENACH (1698-1729) FOR PRESENTATION TO THE NOBLEMAN WHOSE INITIAL 'F' IS SET ON THE ESCUTCHEONS. THE PORTRAIT ON ONE POMMEL-CAP IS PROBABLY THAT OF JOHANN WILHELM, AND THOSE ON THE OTHER MOUNTS MAY REPRESENT THE RECIPIENT, OR THE DONOR'S PREDECESSORS AS DUKES OF SACHSEN-EISENACH, JOHANN GEORG I (1668-1686) AND JOHANN GEORG II (1686-1698) (2)
Provenance
WILLIAM GOODWIN RENWICK, PART VI, SOTHEBY & CO., 19 MARCH 1974, LOT 27
Exhibited
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, LOAN EXHIBITION OF EUROPEAN ARMS AND ARMOR, 1931, NO. 338
BROOKLYN MUSEUM, LOAN EXHIBITION OF ARMS AND ARMOR, 1933, NO. 245
BROOKLYN MUSEUM, LOAN EXHIBITION OF ARMS AND ARMOR, 1933, NO. 245