These early to mid 18th century pistols have rounded brass blade front sights on the smoothbore barrels with long sighting flats signed "CHASTEAV A PARIS," engraving at the breech, and brass notch rear sights on the tangs followed by period added "No 14" inventory marks. The locks are also signed "CHASTEAV/APARIS" and have engraving including a scroll motif inhabited by a mask on the tail. The intricately pierced side plates have scroll patterns and a pair of fanciful heraldic "dolphins." The other iron furniture has more restrained embellishment, and the pommel caps have a bust of a figure in armor with a laurel crown. The beautifully figured rootwood/briarwood stocks have fine raised molding. Eugene Heer in "Der Neue Stockel" lists an Alexandre Chasteau, son of Claude Chasteau, as active c. 1727-1750. The MET lists a Francois-Alexander Chasteau active in Paris 1741–84. There are dated pieces marked Chasteau attributed to Alexandre Chasteau as early as 1722, and there are some disputed claims of him having been a gunmaker to King Louis XV. Heer notes that he probably did not but did work for other royal houses but does not say which houses those were.

See "A." Provenance: The Tom Lewis Collection