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A RARE CARINTHIAN (FERLACH) PISTOL WITH WHEEL-LOCK MECHANISM INCORPORATING AN INTERNAL AUTOMATIC SAFETY SYSTEM

CIRCA 1650

Details

A RARE CARINTHIAN (FERLACH) PISTOL WITH WHEEL-LOCK MECHANISM INCORPORATING AN INTERNAL AUTOMATIC SAFETY SYSTEM
circa 1650
With two-stage barrel with engraved girdle and a raised moulding chiselled with leaves in a band over the breech, strongly bevelled flat lock engraved with small designs of scrolling foliage, external wheel retained by a scallop bracket, sliding pan-cover, the interior mechanism incorporating a pivoted long lever locking the scear at the rear and released by the rearward movement of the dog, the safety automatically engaged by spanning the lock mechanism, carved moulded walnut full stock characteristically inlaid over its length with delicate designs of iron wire scrolls heightened with minute iron nails, inlaid with a hare pursued by a hound opposite the lock and with a rosette ahead of the trigger-guard, 'fishtail' pommel bound with a moulded iron band enclosing a further inlaid motif, iron trigger-guard pierced and engraved with interlace, pierced baluster trigger, slotted ramrod-pipe, fore-end cap, and original ramrod with iron tip en suite with the trigger (the stock repaired in front of the lock).
16 5/8in (42.8cm)

Provenance

William Goodwin Renwick, Sotheby & Co., Part IX, 18 March 1975, Lot 44

Literature

Alaric and A.Tacher, Un pistolet à rouet 'Européen' avec système de sécurité interne, G.d.A. No.283, December 1997.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

A pair of pistols with locks attributed to Nuremberg and incorporating a very similar version of this safety system are in the Wallace Collection (A1161 and 1162); an account of its operation is given in the catalogue.

A further example of this sytem (with minor differences) is found in a pair of pistols in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar (Alsace)

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