Page 190 - Auction84-Book1

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B) Boutet Flintlock Carriage Pistol - NSN, 47 cal., 10 1/2
inch octagon bbl., gold/blue/bright finish, walnut stock. This pistol forms a pair with the next pistol in the garniture. The pistols have swamped, octagonal, Damascus barrels with
fine “saw tooth” rifling, delicate blade and notch sights fitted
in very fine dovetails like the carbine, smooth side flats with distinct Damascus patterns, textured upper flats, golden
rope borders, an arrow and laurel crown on the upper left
and right flats near the mid-sections, Jupiter’s thunderbolts (aka fulmen, adopted by Napoleon as one of his symbols) on top at the mid-sections, floral designs, and “C-B” (upper left), “N-B” (on top), and “L-C” (upper right) maker’s marks at the breech ends. The barrels are each secured by a pair of keys and hooked breeches. The standing breeches are engraved with laurel crowns, and the tangs have floral and oil lamp motifs. The locks are signed “MANUE/A VERSAILLES” (first pistol) and “BOUTET/DIRECTEUR ARTISTE” (second pistol) in ornate script
and have beautifully sculpted details and floral engraving accents. Like the carbine, the pistols feature adjustable
single set triggers. The furniture is likewise finely sculpted and features engraved and chiseled floral scroll designs. The pommel caps have “scooped” floral designs. The well-figured walnut stocks are extensively embellished with raised relief floral carving, fine molding, bead designs along the forends, fine checkering on the sides of the wrist, contrasting pommel gap materials with gold line and gilded bead design along the upper pommel edges and a carved oak leaf design on the lower edge, and silver wire inlaid C-scroll patterns down the back of the wrists.
CONDITION: Very fine with distinct details and markings throughout, over half of the blue finish remaining on the barrel, essentially all of the gold remaining, and gray and silver-gray patina on the lock and furniture along with some faint spotting and a faint repaired crack in the neck of the
delicate cock. The stock is fine and has crisp checkering and carving, hairline cracks and some filled flaws in the breech section, and some small dings and scratches mainly in the wrist section. Mechanically fine.
C) Boutet Flintlock Carriage Pistol - NSN, 47 cal., 10 1/2 inch octagon bbl., gold/blue/bright finish, walnut stock. As described with “B.”
CONDITION: Very fine with distinct details and markings throughout, around half of the blue finish remaining on the barrel, essentially all of the gold accents remaining along
the barrel, and gray and silver-gray patina on the lock and furniture along with some faint spotting and discreetly repaired cock. The stock is also very fine and has crisp checkering and carving throughout, a very slight tension crack at the lock screw, equally minuscule flake absent at the muzzle on the left, and a few scattered minor dings and scratches. Mechanically fine.