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LOT 3345
Desirable Pair of Engraved and Gold Accented Boutet Flintlock Dueling/
Officer’s Pistols -A) Boutet Flintlock Pistol - NSN, 50 cal., 7 3/4 inch octagon bbl., blue/gold/bright finish, walnut
stock. 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 finest “de luxe” firearms ever made flowed from Versailles, and the factory also produced simpler extending the French Empire under the aggressive leadership of Napoleon. These early 19th cen
micro-groove rifling, dots and bands of gold accented engraving at the muzzles, rear sights, and gilded triangle and burst patterns (almost like a stylized volcano) 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.
CONDITION: Very good with more than half of the gold remaining, dark gray patina on most of the
balance, lighter patina on the lock, broken left wing of the rear sight, mild pitting, and general
mild overall wear suggesting they saw real period use. The stock is fine and has crisp checkering, thin crack at the breech/
rear lock screw, small loss by the pins and wedges, and generally light wear. Mechanically fine. B) Boutet Flintlock
Pistol - NSN, 50 cal., 7 3/4 inch octagon bbl., blue/gold/bright finish, walnut stock. See “A.”
CONDITION: Very good, with more than half of the original gold remaining, dark patina on the balance, some generally
minor pitting, absent left wing of the rear sight, and mild overall wear. The lock/trigger needs some work as it won’t
hold at full-cock. The stock is also very good and has crisp checkering, an added hole visible on the lower front of the grip, small flakes at the mortise edges, and general light dings and scratches. These pistols would have most likely been owned by an officer during
the Napoleonic Wars and show signs indicative of period military use. They are attractive examples of the elevated level of French gunmaking in the early 19th century.
Provenance: The Dr. Gerald Klaz Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 7,500
LOT 3346
Scarce Pair of Engraved and Silver and Gold Accented Wogdon Double Barrel Flintlock Pistols -A) Wogdon Double Barrel Flintlock Pistol - NSN, 52 cal., 6 7/8 inch
solid rib bbl., brown/gold/casehardened/blue finish, walnut stock. Robert Wogdon of London was active c. 1760s-1803 and was among the best pistol makers in London in the 18th century. Double barrel pistols
from his shop are less well-known than his dueling pistols. The swamped Damascus barrels have silver blade front sights with “spider” bases, “Wogdon” and “London” inlaid in gold, gold bands at the breeches, gold vent liners, and engraved borders at the breech. The standing breeches have large notch
rear sighs and floral engraving. The locks have “WOGDON” signed in ovals with tapestry accents,
gold lined pans, frizzen spring rollers, stepped tails, and sliding safeties that also engage
the frizzens. The wedge plates and forend tips are silver. The trigger guards have floral
and martial engraving, including pineapple style finials. The stocks are plan and have bag shaped grips. A pair of custom wood display stands and receipts from Christies,
Manson & Woods Ltd. from 1965 listing the pair as carriage pistols from c. 1780 are included.
CONDITION: Good with mix of brown patina and period refurbished brown finish visible on the barrels and locks, most of the original
gold remaining, aged patina on the silver, gray and brown patina on the trigger guard, replacement right cock and left cock screw, and mild overall wear including some light pitting. The stock is also good and has light dings and scratches, some chips and repairs around the left lock mortise, and smooth oiled finish. Mechanically fine.
B) Wogdon Double Barrel Flintlock Pistol - NSN, 52 cal., 6 7/8 inch solid rib bbl., brown/gold/casehardened/blue finish, walnut stock. See “A.”
CONDITION: Good with mix of brown patina and period refurbished brown finisb visible on the lock and barrels, some traces of original case colors, most of the bright original gold
remaining, aged patina on the silver, mostly brown patina on the trigger guard, and some mild oxidation and pitting. The stock is also good and has minor scratches and dings, faint repairs on the left by the lock, and
glossy finish. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Richard P. Mellon Collection.
Estimate: 3,000 - 5,000
head director in 1798. Under his direction, some of the but still exceptional arms for military officers for use in tury pistols have a heavily swamped barrels with fine
dovetailed blade front sights, fixed notch engraved on the upper flats at the breech
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