Antique English Silver Mounted Flintlock Pistol by, BRANDER, LONDON

An Exceptional Antique Revolutionary War Period English Silver Mounted, Brass Barrel Flintlock Pistol by, BRANDER, LONDON, dated 1779.  9" .67 cal. multi-stage brass octagon-to-round-to-round barrel is mounted with a silver rib; engraved on the top flat of breech section; 'BRANDER MINORIES LONDON' and stamped on the left side of the breech; an oval with a 'CROWN' over 'GP' (Gun maker's PROOF), the letters 'WB' (William Brander) and an oval with a 'CROWN' over 'V' (VIEWED).  The lock is entirely layered in a thick silver overlay and is maker engraved; 'Brander'; is built with a sliding safety).  The pistol is in the original flintlock configuration.  The fantastic quality high-relief silver furniture has identified 'HALL MARKS' and was made by; 'IK' (John King, London), date mark of a lowercase 'd' within a shield, a 'Rampant LION' (Standard Mark), and the 'LONDON Crown over the Lion's Face' (Hall Mark).  The butt cap has a fantastic 'grotesque face' with foliage; the side-plate is exceptional with foliage and openwork; the trigger guard has a decorative finial and engraved bow, and the wrist escutcheon is of the highest quality for the period.  The half-stock is solid with a wonderful high-relief 'shell' design surrounding the barrel tang; tear drop relief carving at the tail of the lock plate and side plate; light scratches and dings from years of handling; a small chip is missing from the upper right edge of the right side of the fore-end.  The pistol is in excellent mechanical working order and is of the highest quality of the period.  We have not encountered a more splendid example of such a classic Georgian Period pistol.  This is the type of weapon our founding fathers of the Revolutionary War would prize...

AVQQA15