Lot 236
236
A FINE PAIR OF FLINTLOCK BOX-LOCK POCKET PISTOLS with blued turn-off barrels each inlaid with gold swags and a musical and a martial trophy, blued gold-inlaid actions signed within gold-inlaid martial trophies, gold-lined pans, blued gold-inlaid thumbpiece safety-catches, cocks and steels (reduced), blued rollers, steel-springs and folding triggers, walnut butts inlaid with floral scrolls and a martial trophy in engraved silver sheet, and silver butt-caps cast and chased with castles and trophies of arms in relief, retaining much original finish throughout: in lined and fitted mahogany case with some accessories, by Knubley Brunn & Co. Charing Cross, London, London proof marks, London silver hallmarks, maker's mark of Moses Brent, circa 1800

Details
A FINE PAIR OF FLINTLOCK BOX-LOCK POCKET PISTOLS with blued turn-off barrels each inlaid with gold swags and a musical and a martial trophy, blued gold-inlaid actions signed within gold-inlaid martial trophies, gold-lined pans, blued gold-inlaid thumbpiece safety-catches, cocks and steels (reduced), blued rollers, steel-springs and folding triggers, walnut butts inlaid with floral scrolls and a martial trophy in engraved silver sheet, and silver butt-caps cast and chased with castles and trophies of arms in relief, retaining much original finish throughout: in lined and fitted mahogany case with some accessories, by Knubley Brunn & Co. Charing Cross, London, London proof marks, London silver hallmarks, maker's mark of Moses Brent, circa 1800
7in.
Literature
J.F. Hayward, The Art of the Gunmaker, vol. II, plate 68a
Exhibited
Willmer House Museum, Farnham, 3-29 April, 1962, No. 24
The Art of the Armourer, Victoria and Albert Museum, 19 April - 5 May, 1963, No. 256

Lot Essay

The decoration on these pistols is very similar to that on the pair of duelling pistols by Samuel Brunn sold in these Rooms 14 December 1976, lot 5, and by tradition made for George, Prince of Wales, Prince Regent in 1811, and King 1820-30

John Knubley and Samuel Brunn were both sword cutlers and gunmakers. Brunn took over Knubley's business at 7 Charing Cross on his death in 1795 and continued as John Knubley until 1797. Brunn worked at 55 Charing Cross from 1798 to 1804, and at 56 Charing Cross from 1805 to 1820

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