hawkeye1755
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2005
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Bright steel locks, the flat plates squared at the front and tapering at the back in a convex curve to a teat finial and etched with a roped border within which, to the rear of the wheel, symmetrical strapwork surrounds an oval cartouche containing a classical male figure, the decoration continuing beneath the wheel in the form of symmetrical floral sprays; the lower edge of the lock plates down-curved to accommodate the large plain wheel with irregularly chamfered rim held in place by a small crescent bearing plate that overlaps its rear edge and is attached to the plate by a screw through its baluster-moulded finial; ahead of the wheel is a quatrefoil catch, the thumb catch of the pan cover of the shorter pistol chiselled and engraved with a grotesque mask on the end nearer the pan and that on the longer pistol engraved with addorsed scrolls. The cocks sculpturally chiselled with similar but different decoration; the neck of the cock on the shorter pistol formed as a female demi-figure emerging from foliage and facing to the rear with arms extended behind her back to support the jaws, which are sculpted in the form of a horse’s head; the cock of the longer pistol similar but lacks the demi-figure, the neck consisting of an urn-like baluster from which emerges leaf-work; both cocks have bridled V-springs with scrolled bevelling chiselled on their edges. Faceted walnut full stocks inlaid with large and small panels of engraved staghorn, some stained green, and mother-of-pearl, the longer pistol with some inlaid brass wire scrolls. The decoration consists of broad, symmetrical strapwork and floral scrolls involving fruit and buds interspersed with demi-figures, a faun carrying a basket of fruit on its head, a demi-figure standing behind a cornucopia, owls and an angel; there are also a number of large oval cartouches engraved with classical figures or, on the sides of the fore-ends, with ropework and foliate scrolls; the side flats overlaid with panels of staghorn decorated en suite with strapwork and leaf scrolls involving two linked figure scenes; on the shorter pistol, a standing nude female surrounded by naked male youths; on the larger one, the central female figure replaced by a standing male figure, naked except for a cloak and armed with shield and sword, and the nearest flanking youths by perching birds with long forked tails and bearded, male human heads, while to one side is a prone figure; on either side of the barrel tangs are engraved and cut-out horn plaques, each depicting caryatids; the ramrod tail pipes formed of staghorn, each engraved with a nude figure; each pistol with two plain steel ramrod pipes; the ramrods of wood, that of the shorter pistol retaining its engraved horn tip decorated to match the fore-end cap; the horn fore-end caps engraved with a repeating floral pattern. The cylindrical pommels decorated with wrythen fluting, highlighted by inlaid horn lines; repeated discs of horn and green-stained horn on the shorter pistol and horn and brass on the longer pistol. The plain steel trigger guards with raised edges and enclosing moulded triggers. Long, slender, bright steel two-stage barrels with pronounced mouldings at the breech, changing in section from octagonal to round at the muzzle; the barrels of both pistols with a low fence or step at the rear of the breech muzzle; forward of the breech on the longer pistol, a panel of acanthus ornament; on the shorter pistol, a further transverse moulding where the barrel section changes from round at the breech to octagonal; between the two mouldings is stamped the letter I in an oval; the top flat of the octagonal section of both pistols is etched with foliate strapwork involving demi-figures; the barrel tangs etched with strapwork
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