3451

FINE CASED PAIR OF PILL LOCK HOLSTER OR DUELING

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:7,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 25,000.00 USD
FINE CASED PAIR OF PILL LOCK HOLSTER OR DUELING
PISTOLS BY CHARLES MOORE. Cal. 50 both. S# 1141 both. The 9" swamped octagon barrels with under ribs, made of nicely patterned stub Damascus are engraved with Maker's "77 St. James's Street" address (CA 1825-42) on top flats. Case hardened patent breeches have inset platinum poincon marked "C. MOORE" "LONDON" "PATENT" all under a crown. Breeches have vented platinum blowouts and are fitted with bases having cups to receive pills or pellets of priming compound. Locks having flat plates are fitted with pivoting levers; one end of each lever has platinum seal that covers pill recess, base portion is shaped so that the fall of the hammer cams cover out of the way allowing firing pin to strike pellet. Flat faced hammer is filed with protrusion to move lever system, head has interchangeable firing pins, retaining spring is on inner side of nose. Locks are also fitted with back sliding safetys that engage at half cock. Locks, hammers etc., are nicely engraved with open scroll within feather borders on plates. Plates are also engraved "C. Moore. LONDON" under feather springs. Root walnut stocks have flat checkered bag grips and horn tips. Trigger plates have pineapple finials, trigger guards have scroll engraving on bows and S#'s on tangs. Stocks attach to barrels with captive side bolts through oval silver escutcheons. Rosewood ramrods with brass tips and tails mount through single plain pipes and well filed steel thimbles. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: pistols are housed in their original mahogany case with duel pivoting hook closure and flush mounted circular "D" ring handle. Interior is lined in green cloth and has large paper Charles Moore St. James St. label in lid over another label. Bottom compartments are arranged for pistols and some accessories including copper bodied 3 cavity powder, ball and patch flask by Hawksley marked "FIREPROOF"; steel nutcracker "WD" marked bullet mold for # 38 ball (.490); correct wrench for pill bases (missing handle); case hardened main spring vice; steel nipple wrench (which doesn't fit anything) brass loading rod and unmarked wad punch, for 1 1/4" patches. A covered compartment holds boxwood container inscribed with these pistols S# which contains spare pill bases and firing pins. Another covered compartment contains a pair of percussion hammers. CONDITION: very fine, barrels retaining nearly all of their brown finish with excellent definition to pattern. There is a light scattering of freckling evident. Locks retain most of their case hardening color, fading to gray. Breech irons and patent breeches retain most of case color (possibly redone) engraving somewhat soft. Steel parts retain over 80% charcoal blue. Stocks retain what appears to be most of their original finish. Multi-groove rifled bores show light pitting throughout, locks are fine. The platinum of one poincon is missing, stamping legible. Case retains most of its varnish finish on exterior with many scratches and some splitting on top front. Interior cloth is good with areas of fading and spotting. Label has some rubs through and is lightly foxed. Accessories are generally good. Lid of case has a small chip at left near corner, chip is present and repairable. (01-21882/MGM). ANTIQUE. $15,000-25,000.