A SPANISH SPORTING PLUG BAYONET, AND A BAYONET FOR A D.B. SPORTING GUN

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W. Keith Neal (1905-1990) FINE ACCESSORIES AND MISCELLANEA FROM THE W. KEITH NEAL COLLECTION Sold by order of the Trustees of the W. Keith Neal Foundation and the Directors of Cassone Ltd. The following lots were amassed by Keith Neal over a period of some seventy years devoted to forming the greatest private collection of antique firearms ever assembled. They comprise an impressive cornucopia - the largest and most comprehensive such group ever to be offered at public auction, and a unique opportunity for collectors, now that original accessories have become so difficult to find. Most of the pieces were acquired in the process of purchasing, restoring, and refining the collection of firearms, but some were discovered many years ago in old-fashioned gunmakers' and ironmongers' shops which still held old stock from the 19th century - an opportunity now long gone. Of particular significance is the extensive group of lock mechanisms and lock parts, many by leading makers, ranging in date from the 16th to the 19th century, some of them landmark inventions, some decorated in exquisite detail. Among the rarest of the accessories are the two lots (84 and 85) of early percussion primers, which underline the unique diversity of the collection. Like the firearms, many of the items to be sold are described and illustrated in the standard reference works, including those by Keith Neal and Major David Back, in particular British Gunmakers Their Trade Cards, Cases and Equipment (1980). This, the fourth major public disposal from the collection since Keith Neal's death in 1990, emphasises his practical approach to the subject - in his own words 'that of a shooter first and a collector afterwards'. Peter Hawkins

A SPANISH SPORTING PLUG BAYONET, AND A BAYONET FOR A D.B. SPORTING GUN

THE FIRST CIRCA 1800, THE SECOND LATE 18TH CENTURY

Details

A SPANISH SPORTING PLUG BAYONET, AND A BAYONET FOR A D.B. SPORTING GUN
The first circa 1800, the second late 18th Century
The first with straight double-edged blade stamped on one side of the ricasso with the gold-lined punzón of Antonio Roxo, fluted iron quillons, horn grip, and original iron-mounted scabard covered with plum velvet (worn); the second entirely of steel, shaped for the muzzles and with spring-catch
15in. (38.1cm.) and 12½in (31.7cm.) (2)

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

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