The case lid is inscribed "donne par le Prince Royal/Camp de Compiegne/1836." The Prince Royal in 1836 was Ferdinand Philippe (1810-1842), Duke of Orleans. He was the eldest son of Philippe I, King of the French, who reigned as the "Citizen King" from 1830 to 1848 and was the last crowned king in France. Prince Ferdinand was popular with the public and seen as compassionate and generous. He and his younger brother Prince Louis, Duke of Nemours, were military officers and participated in operations in support of the independence of Belgium in the early-1830s and operations in Algeria in the mid-1830s followed by a European tour together starting in May 1836. The set was likely presented when the Royal Family visited the camp in October 1836 for a grand review. The Prince Royal was noted as particularly generous and friendly with the troops there that year. Chateau de Compiegne on the Oise River in northern France was one of the summer residents of the French monarchy, one of the three seats of the French government, and was the site of the marriage of Louise-Marie of Orleans to King Leopold I of Belgium in 1832. The Prince Louis became the commander of the nearby Camp de Compiegne in 1841. Prince Ferdinand died in 1842 in a carriage accident. The prestigious Le Page family arms business was headed by Jean Andre Prosper Henri Le Page in 1836 when these pistols were manufactured and had been gunmakers to the Bourbon Monarchy and Napoleon. Le Page was appointed Arquebusier Ordinaire of the King as well as of the Duke of Orleans and of the Duke of Nemours in 1835. The twisted steel barrels are rifled, crowned, and have "LE PAGE ARQER DU ROI" in gold on the top flats in etched panels that terminate with decorative designs on each end and include "1" (A) and "2" (B) as well as dovetailed blade front sights. The bottom of the barrels have "No 3651. 1836." "3651" is repeated on the barrel hooks, face of the standing breeches, left edge of the stocks at the breech, and under the barrels on the forends. It may also be repeated on the underside of the locks, but they were not dismounted out of caution. The casehardened breeches each have a platinum band and plug. The upper tangs are numbered "1" (A) and "2" (B) and have fixed notch sights and light scroll engraving. The casehardened back action locks have light scroll and border engraving and are signed "LE PAGE/A PARIS" at the tails. The casehardened trigger guards are spurred, have scroll engraving, and enclose adjustable single set triggers. The stocks have shell carving at the forend tips, silver barrel key escutcheons, checkered wrists with molded borders, leaf pattern carved horn pommel rings, and casehardened and engraved caps. The figured hardwood case is lined in purple with golden trim and is closely fitted to the pistols, a wooden mallet, nipple wrench, adjustable powder measure, casehardened ball mold numbered to the guns, small "flat" powder flask, two rods, some fabric patches, and lead balls.

Very fine with 80% of the vibrant original case colors, 40% original brown finish and distinct stripped patterns on the barrel along with some minor discoloration, mostly bright muzzle face, bright platinum band and plug, minor wear on the gold maker’s mark on the barrel, aged patina on the silver, crisp markings and designs, and minimal wear appropriate to many years of storage and proper care. Aside from a crack and spliced repairs in the grain on the left side of the stock, it is fine and has crisp carving, nice figure, crisp checkering, some insect holes on the horn, and the same minimal age related wear as the rest of the pistol. Mechanically excellent.

See A.

Very fine with 80% of the bright original case colors, 60% original brown finish and distinct stripped patterns on the barrel which has some minor discoloration, bright platinum and gold, aged patina on the silver, crisp markings and designs, and minimal age and storage related wear. The stock is also very fine and has crisp carving and checkering, attractive burl figure, some insect damage on the horn, and light scratches and marks. Mechanically excellent. The case is very good and has attractive grain, an absent key hole escutcheon, some cracks on the lid and bottom, and mild scrapes and dings. The lining has some fading and mild wear. The mallet and wooden top of the measure have cracks/chips but remain very good, and the other accessories are fine with light age and storage related wear. This is a very attractive set of pistols by the premier muzzle loading firearms making family in French history and is made all the more desirable by the fact that it is designated for the Prince Royal in 1836.