A Pair Of 20-Bore Flintlock Silver-Mounted Pistols With Brass Barrels And Locks (2)

A Pair Of 20-Bore Flintlock Silver-Mounted Pistols With Brass Barrels And Locks By Brander, London, London Silver Hallmarks For 1775, Maker's Mark Of Joseph Keays With slightly swamped three-stage barrels, border engraved octagonal breeches becoming polygonal and each signed in capitals along the top flat, tangs grooved for sighting and each retaining traces of engraved decoration, border engraved flat bevelled locks signed 'Wogdon & Barton', plain cocks and steels, the latter each with roller, figured full stocks (one fore-stock partly replaced) each carved with a shell behind the barrel tang, cast and chased mounts comprising pierced trophy of arms side-plates centred on a tower, vacant foliate escutcheons each with a shell above and a grotesque mask below, spurred border engraved pommels each with a flower-head centred on the retaining screw and with a border of scrolls and shells, trigger-guards each with shell and foliate finial, and engraved with a flower-head on the bow, turned ramrod-pipes, and original silver-tipped ramrods each with iron worm, London proof marks and barrelsmith's mark, almost certainly of William 2 Brander (2) 20.8 cm. barrels Footnotes: William 2 Brander was free of the Gunmakers' Company in 1748. He was elected Master in 1767, 1772 and again in 1779. Contractor to the East India Company in 1773, and he was succeeded by his son Martin For a full account of Joseph Keays, see Leslie Southwick, 'The Makers' Marks', 'I.K', 'JA' and 'M.B', Struck On London 18th Century Georgian Silver Gun Furniture...', J.A.A.S., Vol. XXIV, No. 2 (September 2022), pp. 136-185 The locks replaced by Wogdon & Barton circa 1800 For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing