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BY T.E. MORTIMER, EDINBURGH, CIRCA 1840-50
Details
A CASED 16-BORE OVER-AND-UNDER PERCUSSION HOWDAH PISTOL
BY T.E. MORTIMER, EDINBURGH, CIRCA 1840-50
With rebrowned twist polygroove rifled barrels, the upper barrel sighted and signed 'T.E. MORTIMER. EDINBURGH' in gold gothic script, case-hardened pstent breeches engraved with a flower-head on each bolster and with a flower-head on the top flat behind the standing rear-sight, case-hardened scroll engraved tang, case-hardened border and scroll engraved bolted detented back-action locks each signed 'T.E. MORTIMER', chequered figured walnut butt, silver escutcheon, blued border and scroll engraved trigger-guard, scroll engraved domed pommel with hinged trap-cover engraved with a flower-head, and blued stirrup ramrod, some faded original finish throughout, London proof marks, in original fitted case relined in blue velvet with some accessories including Sykes brass-mounted copper pistol-flask and brass-mounted loading-rod with worm, the lid with trade label (damaged) of circa 1839-51 with the handwritten serial number 5683, the exterior (repaired crack to one corner) with shaped brass escutcheon
9 3/8in. (23.8cm.) barrels
BY T.E. MORTIMER, EDINBURGH, CIRCA 1840-50
With rebrowned twist polygroove rifled barrels, the upper barrel sighted and signed 'T.E. MORTIMER. EDINBURGH' in gold gothic script, case-hardened pstent breeches engraved with a flower-head on each bolster and with a flower-head on the top flat behind the standing rear-sight, case-hardened scroll engraved tang, case-hardened border and scroll engraved bolted detented back-action locks each signed 'T.E. MORTIMER', chequered figured walnut butt, silver escutcheon, blued border and scroll engraved trigger-guard, scroll engraved domed pommel with hinged trap-cover engraved with a flower-head, and blued stirrup ramrod, some faded original finish throughout, London proof marks, in original fitted case relined in blue velvet with some accessories including Sykes brass-mounted copper pistol-flask and brass-mounted loading-rod with worm, the lid with trade label (damaged) of circa 1839-51 with the handwritten serial number 5683, the exterior (repaired crack to one corner) with shaped brass escutcheon
9 3/8in. (23.8cm.) barrels
Provenance
Anon. sale, Christie's, King Street, 20th November 1996, lot 252
Literature
H. Lee Munson, The Mortimer Gunmakers 1753-1923, pp. 127-8, pl. 192. The trade label is of the type illustrated as plate 461.