A Fantastic Cased Pair of French Napoleonic Republic - Empire Flintlock Pistols by PREVOST a' PARIS
#127
A Fantastic Cased Pair of high Quality and Condition French Napoleonic Rebublic - Empire Flintlock Pistols by PREVOST a PARIS c. 1790-1810. This form of high quality pistol was most likely owned by wealthy gentleman or military officer. Cased by JOHANN MULLER, Bern, Switzerland.
The pistols have 8.5", .56 cal. octagon iron swamped barrels with micro-rifling. The top flat of the barrels have fine decorative gold overlay and is maker signed "PREVOST A' PARIS" and has (3) proof marks, a "L . C." within a rectangular box stamped on the left and right side of the breech and a small "CROWN" over "B".
Both pistols are in their original flintlock configuration with no replacement parts. All iron parts are polished bright include second finger spurred trigger guards. The convex locks have decorative engraving around a oval gold insert engraved with the makers name "Prevost / Paris" with high quality roller frizzen springs. Both stocks have fantastic micro-checkered grips with high-relief decorative carving around the butt extending up to the barrel tang. Each pistol has a very unusual rectangular (GOLD) wrist escutcheon (vacant) surrounded by a mother-of-pearl boarder and are solid with minimal light scratches and dings from years of handling. Brass tipped wood ram rods. Both pistols are in good mechanical working order. A beautiful and rare pair of flintlock pistols in very fine condition that may have seen action during the Napoleonic Wars !
Each pistol measure: 14.75" overall length.
TTI-580123
HISTORICAL CONTEXT - French Republic (1804-1808), French Empire (1808-1815)
NOTE: The French pistols were cased in an English box. One pistol is missing the front sight.
Accessories include: a wonderful and rare brass with horn body 2-way powder flask, brass powder measure, brass powder scoop, bullet mold, lead balls, loading mallet, and ram rod/cleaning rod.
BOX: High Quality Period English box made with round brass Georgian style lifting handle and sliding bar locks. Intact center lock but the key is missing. The box Measures: 18.75" X 9.5" X 3.25" with blue velvet lining. The exterior of the box exhibits some scratches and dings from handling.
TRADE LABEL - Johann Mueller (Muller) of Bern, Switzerland, circa. 1800-1866.
"Johann Muller / Buchsenmacher in Bern", (Gunmaker in Bern).
ABOUT THE MAKER: "PREVOST a' PARIS" This maker is in a small group of highly skilled and historically respected French gun makers. There are many connections to the most famous French gun maker NICOLAS-NOEL BOUTET (1761-1833).
MARKINGS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL - "E. DURAND", Could be the following: there is a DURAND, c. 1780-1804 listed on p. 320 of STOCKEL. "Tordu" means "twisted" for twisted iron.
