Nicolas-Noel Boutet (1761-1833) was gunmaker-in-ordinary to King Louis XVI in 1788 and became the artistic director of the arms factory at Versailles in 1792 and then its head director in 1798. Under his direction, some of the finest "de luxe" firearms ever made flowed from Versailles, and the factory also produced simpler but still exceptional arms for military officers for use in extending the French Empire under the aggressive leadership of Napoleon. These early 19th century pistols have a heavily swamped barrels with fine micro-groove rifling, dots and bands of gold accented engraving at the muzzles, dovetailed blade front sights, fixed notch rear sights, and gilded triangle and burst patterns (almost like a stylized volcano) engraved on the upper flats at the breech ends. The locks are signed "Boutet" (B) and "A Versailles" (A) and have stepped tails with floral and acorn engraving, light engraving on the pans and frizzens, graceful gooseneck cocks, and rollers on the frizzen springs. The pistols have adjustable single set triggers. The furniture is all steel. The full-length stocks have intricate checkering with carved borders.

See "A." Provenance: The Dr. Gerald Klaz Collection