6th Dec, 2023 11:00
Arms, Armour & Militaria
422
◉ A FINE CASED PAIR OF 32 BORE FLINTLOCK DUELLING PISTOLS BY DURS EGG, LONDON, LONDON PROOF MARKS, CIRCA 1790
with browned twist octagonal swamped sighted barrels signed in script along the top flats, breeches fitted with back-sights and engraved with a band of foliage behind, gold-lined vents, stamped beneath with proof marks, German silver fore-sights, border engraved case-hardened tangs each decorated with foliage, engraved case-hardened flat bevelled locks decorated with border ornament, a Brittania trophy on the tail, and signed in scripted beneath the pans, fitted with engraved blued safety-catches, engraved bevelled cocks and blued steel springs, the interiors fitted with detents and retaining much early blued and burnished finish, blued adjustable set triggers, highly figured walnut stocks, 'pineapple' chequered butts (light bruising), engraved blued steel mounts comprising pear-shaped butt-caps engraved with a flowerhead, trigger-plates with pineapple finials, large trigger-guards with a Britannia trophy on the bows, horn fore-end caps, early horn-tipped ramrods, one with steel worm, probably the original, much original finish throughout, perhaps unused: in contemporary fitted mahogany case, the lid exterior with brass flush-fitting carrying handle, the interior with trade label for 1827-31, lined in green baize (some old repairs, one compartment lid replaced, ring handles missing), 25.2 cm barrels
Provenance
Dr. Robert Rabett, sold Bonhams Knightsbridge, 30th November 2011, lot 554
Exhibited
The Craft Of The Gunmaker 1640-1870 (cat. no. 28)
Durs Egg, the son of the gunmaker Leonz, was born in Switzerland in 1748. After a short stay in Paris he came to London and worked for John Twigg at 132 Strand. He was gunmaker to George IV and the Duke of York. He became blind in 1822 and died in 1831. A silver-mounted breech-loading Ferguson rifle by this maker is preserved in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. A pair of silver-mounted flintlock sporting guns by Durs Egg, marked for 1789 and made for Frederick, Prince of Baden (1756-1817) were sold in this room, 4th December 2012, lot 415. For a full account of the Egg family see Blair 1973, pp. 266-299 and 305-353.
Sold for £10,000
with browned twist octagonal swamped sighted barrels signed in script along the top flats, breeches fitted with back-sights and engraved with a band of foliage behind, gold-lined vents, stamped beneath with proof marks, German silver fore-sights, border engraved case-hardened tangs each decorated with foliage, engraved case-hardened flat bevelled locks decorated with border ornament, a Brittania trophy on the tail, and signed in scripted beneath the pans, fitted with engraved blued safety-catches, engraved bevelled cocks and blued steel springs, the interiors fitted with detents and retaining much early blued and burnished finish, blued adjustable set triggers, highly figured walnut stocks, 'pineapple' chequered butts (light bruising), engraved blued steel mounts comprising pear-shaped butt-caps engraved with a flowerhead, trigger-plates with pineapple finials, large trigger-guards with a Britannia trophy on the bows, horn fore-end caps, early horn-tipped ramrods, one with steel worm, probably the original, much original finish throughout, perhaps unused: in contemporary fitted mahogany case, the lid exterior with brass flush-fitting carrying handle, the interior with trade label for 1827-31, lined in green baize (some old repairs, one compartment lid replaced, ring handles missing), 25.2 cm barrels
Provenance
Dr. Robert Rabett, sold Bonhams Knightsbridge, 30th November 2011, lot 554
Exhibited
The Craft Of The Gunmaker 1640-1870 (cat. no. 28)
Durs Egg, the son of the gunmaker Leonz, was born in Switzerland in 1748. After a short stay in Paris he came to London and worked for John Twigg at 132 Strand. He was gunmaker to George IV and the Duke of York. He became blind in 1822 and died in 1831. A silver-mounted breech-loading Ferguson rifle by this maker is preserved in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. A pair of silver-mounted flintlock sporting guns by Durs Egg, marked for 1789 and made for Frederick, Prince of Baden (1756-1817) were sold in this room, 4th December 2012, lot 415. For a full account of the Egg family see Blair 1973, pp. 266-299 and 305-353.
Auction: Arms, Armour & Militaria, 6th Dec, 2023
