This pair of pistols is being de-accessioned from the famed George F. Harding Jr. Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago (reference number 1982.2321a-b) and were made for Grand Duke Ernst August I (1707-1748) of Saxe-Weimar in Carlsbad, Bohemia, c. 1710-1720 and maintained in the gun cabinet at Schloss Ettersburg until the collection was sold to E. Kahlert & Son of Berlin in 1926-1927. They feature smoothbore barrels with extensive gilt martial engraving and fire blued finish. The cocks are likewise fire blued and have gilt panels with engraving. The flat beveled locks and mounts are gilt brass decorated with attractive interlaced scroll patterns, including on the elaborate fences on the frizzen springs. The wrist escutcheons include a coronet.

As described in "A." Provenance: The Collection of the Dukes of Saxe-Weimar at Schloss Ettersburg; E. Kahlert & Sohn; The George F. Harding Jr. Collection; The Art Institute of Chicago