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FINE ITALIAN EARLY FLINTLOCK HOLSTER PISTOL BY

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
FINE ITALIAN EARLY FLINTLOCK HOLSTER PISTOL BY

ANTONIO VENASOLO WITH BARREL BY DOMENICO BONOMINO & FINE FILIGREE FITTINGS. Cal. 52. NSN. The 13" tapered bbl. is multifluted at rear & transitions through wedding band to tapered front section running to muzzle. Rear of top two flutes are marked "DOMENICO" "BONOMINO" (working in Brescia between 1635-1700). Breech plug has raised ridge filed in. Unusual type early flintlock with slightly arched chamferred plate & rebated tail features simple inset faceted pan & unusual frizzen with internal spring. Top of frizzen has nicely filed decoration. Early style Snaphaunce type cock has reinforced head & is also nicely filed with pierced scrolls at rear. Cock attaches to plate with floral filed nut. Rear of lockplate is filed in relief with a griffin or wolf's head. Face of cock & rear of plate both above & below rebate as well as front of plate are very finely engraved with shaded open scroll. Bottom of chamfer is engraved "ANTONIO. VENASOLO" (Venezzoni) working in Brescia from 1622-1662. Internal inspection shows no bridle for tumbler or sear which is fitted with safety dog. Both mainspring & searspring have some file decoration. Stock which extends to muzzle appears to be of olivewood & is mounted with exceptionally fine filigree filed steel furniture including dommed grip cap, trigger plate, trigger blade, trigger guard, sideplates, front ramrod pipe, & forend tip. The decoration of this fine work has multiple piercings & consists of a background of scrolls, leaves & flowers with accents of dogs & goat(?) on gripcap. The trigger guard bow is truly exceptional with raised carved acanthus leaves fore and aft surrounding central pierced area depicting other floral forms and an angel's head. Trigger itself has 5 piercings accenting scroll design. Stock has minimal carving with a diagonal band of relief carved acanthus behind thimble area. Stock is pinned to bbl. An old walnut ramrod with steel worm on tail & fancy engraved head is held by filigree pipe & carved wood thimble. This area which also incorporates the aformentioned carving is most likely a later restoration as more filed steel work would be expected. CONDITION: all metal parts showing judicious cleaning to bright silver with dark shaded areas. Very little pitting is evident. Wood is basically sound but shows numerous small inlet wood repairs along bbl. channel & an area of new wood just in front of lock area & thimble area. One should assume that the entire front portion of stock has been restored utilizing original metalwork (thimble missing). Bore has some scattered pitting. Lock is operable. A very attractive pistol exhibiting superb metalwork. (01-21222/MGM). ANTIQUE. $4,000-6,000.