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LOVELY CASED PAIR OF JOSEPH MANTON FLINTLOCK

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:15,000.00 USD Estimated At:30,000.00 - 50,000.00 USD
LOVELY CASED PAIR OF JOSEPH MANTON FLINTLOCK
SCRATCH RIFLED DUELLING OR HOLSTER PISTOLS ONCE THE PROPERTY OF LORD LOWTHER. EX. W. KEITH NEAL COLLECTION. Cal. 52 both. S# 858 both (1796). (Assumed to be on bottoms of barrels not confirmed. Unable to take down). The 10" slightly swamped octagon skelp twist barrels are unmarked. Slightly inset patent breeches with gold touch holes are gold inlaid with lines at rear and have gold poincon marked "Joseph Manton. "PATENT" under a crown. Breech irons with armorial engraving are fitted with "U" notch rear sights dovetailed through. Locks with flat plates are fitted with serpentine cocks, semi-waterproof pans, bridled frizzens with small rollers on tails and feather springs with bulbous finials having teats. Locks are engraved with feather borders and have some arms at rears. "JOSEPH MANTON" "LONDON" is under pans. Trigger plates have pineapple finials. Trigger guards are engraved with arms on bows. European root walnut stocks extend to within 1/8" of muzzles and have checkered bag grips with steel caps. Stocks attach to barrels with captive side bolts without escutcheons. Greenheart ramrods with horn tips mount through single beaded pipes and matching thimbles. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: pistols are housed in their original mahogany case with key lock closure. Top is fitted with circular "D" ring handle. A central oval is engraved "Lord Vist. Lowther" in script (William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale also known as 2nd Viscount Lowther 1802-07). Interior is lined in green cloth. A paper label of Joseph Manton's earliest type is in lid which is superimposed with two stamps "J. Holmes Gunmaker". Bottom compartment fits pistols perfectly and is complete with an array of fine original accessories including; a red Morocco leather covered three compartment flask, walnut handled turn screw, steel nutcracker type ball mould stamped "48" and "858", Greenheart loading rod with brass tip and tail with its ovate boxwood knob to be used for seating bullets and boxwood handled dusting brush. There are two covered compartments with bone knobs; one containing balls, the other holds original key for case. Central compartment holds two tags; one inscribed "Lord Lonsdales duelling pistols" "Lowther Castle sale", the other side "Private Collection" "858 Serial Number" as well as a W. Keith Neal Collection medal number "C23". These pistols are described on pg. 228 of the "The Manton Gunmakers" with owner noted as W. Keith Neal. This very label is pictured as plate 132. CONDITION: fine original "as found". Barrels retaining over 90% original brown, patent breeches retain about half their case hardening color. Locks show light cleaning overall with traces of color visible where protected. A good amount of blue remains on feather springs. All iron furniture retains about 70% original bright blue. The buttcap of one pistol shows some light cleaning. Stocks retain over 90% original finish with a fair number of light marks and dings. Bores are bright and shiny, scratch rifling very clear, locks are crisp. Case retains over 90% original finish on exterior with a good amount of scratches and marks. Interior cloth is fine, label has some spotting and two rubs through. Center partition is a bit loose, accessories are generally very fine. A superb pair of Joe Manton pistols worthy of the finest collection. (01-21908/MGM). ANTIQUE. $30,000-50,000.