‡AN EXTREMELY RARE 33 BORE FLINTLOCK BREECH-LOADING REPEATING MAGAZINE PISTOL ON THE LORENZONI PRINCIPLE BY H.W.MORTIMER, LONDON, GUNMAKER TO HIS MAJESTY, CIRCA 1790 with octagonal swamped sighted barrel signed in full on the top flat, engraved with a band around the breech and fitted with pivoting blade fore-sight, shaped action engraved with a sunburst on the top, a trophy-of-arms on the tang and swags around the trigger-guard, fitted with rotating brass breech-block operated by a long curved lever with knop-shaped terminal and hinged sprung magazine cover on the left, the latter engraved with rococo ornament and inscribed 'Gunmaker to His Majesty' carried by a trophy-of arms behind, border-engraved back-action lock signed on a scroll carried by a lion and lioness with a palm tree on the right (the cock and magazine cover expertly replaced), highly figured walnut butt carved with a fine pattern of chequering and characteristic spiral moulding at the base, finely engraved iron trigger-guard and vacant silver escutcheon with engraved border 25.5 cm; 10 9in barrel Provenance Dr Jack Strassman sold Christie's East, New York, 21st May 1986, lot 346 Literature H. Lee Munson, The Mortimer Gunmakers 1753-1923, Rhode Island 1992, pp. 237-238. The engraving on the lock is similar to another example of this type, by the same maker, made for Vice Admiral Lord Nelson and now preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc. no. 35.81.3). Another pistol, that belonged to Lord Camelford, was reported to have fired nine bullets in thirty seconds (see Blackmore 1999, p. 88). A 'curious magazine pistol which discharges eight times without reloading' was included in the auction of property from H. W. Mortimer Jrs address following his retirement on 24th September 1816 . See Munson op. cit. p. 92.