Extremely rare pair of Dutch Wender style, two-barrel, flintlock pistols with ivory stocks and pommels with carved turban heads. Ivory stocked pistols with carved pommels are a characteristically Dutch design. A pair of Dutch Wender pistols with nearly identical carved pommels dated around 1670 is shown on page 213 of "DUTCH FIREARMS" by Arne Hoff. Hoff estimates that fewer than 100 ivory stocked pistols have been identified and he states pistols with carved turban heads are less numerous than other types of carved pommels. The Wender system in which two barrels, each with a separate pan and frizzen, rotate on a breech plate with a single hammer was developed in the 1640s. Several examples of rare and unique Wender pistols are illustrated on pages 91-99 of "DUTCH FIREARMS". The combination of a Wender two-barrel pistol, and ivory mountings with carved pommel is extremely rare. The pistol pommels have highly detailed, relief-carved Turk's heads with turbans. The faces have a sweeping mustache and earrings and jewels on the fronts of the turbans. Fluted iron bands cover the junctions between the pommels butts. The stocks have relief-craved side plates and borders around the tangs and locks. The ivory forearms are fluted. Each pistol has an ivory ramrod with iron cap. The ramrods are secured by a single iron pipe. The smooth-bore barrels are part-round and have a 2 1/2 inch section of fluting at the breech. The extended lock plates have a rounded profile and are fitted with a rounded, goose-neck hammer. The breeches of each pistol have two integral, rounded iron pans with low fences. The frizzens have a flared profile and curved tip. The pistols have iron trigger guards. Each trigger guard has a lever at the front which is depressed to rotate the barrels. The lock plates, hammers, frizzens, breeches, barrel tangs and trigger guards are decorated with restrained but delicate and very well executed scroll and floral engraving. The pistols have no signature on the external portions of the barrels or locks. The barrels appear to be proofed but the proofmarks are partially covered by the breeches. "DUTCH FIREARMS" notes that similar examples of ivory stocked Wender pistols with carved Turk's head pommels that date from the 1660s are in collections at Historic Museum in Dresden, the Tower Armories in London and the Musee de l'Armee in Paris. Examples of Dutch Wender pistols with ivory stocks and carved pommels are extremely rare and very few of these magnificent pistols exist in private collections.

As described in "A".