^Lot 4283 VERY GOOD CASED PAIR OF JOHN MANTON V PAN FRENCH

COCK FLINTLOCK HOLSTER PISTOLS. Cal. 50 (Both). S# 9736 (Both). This pair of late flintlock guns made in 1828 have 10" twist octagon scratch rifled barrels with under ribs. Top flats are engraved "John Manton & Son Dover Street" in script. Patent breeches with inset platinum lined touch holes have platinum lines front and back and some foliate engraving. Scroll engraved breech irons have integral "U" notch rear sights. Locks having flat plates with squared off tails feature French cocks with back sliding half cock safetys, late style fully developed waterproof "V" pans and bridled roller frizzens with rollers on feather springs that have bulbous finials with teats. Locks are engraved with well cut flowing scroll and "Jno. Manton & Son" "Patent". Triggers are set. European walnut stocks with checkered bag grips and horn forend tips are iron mounted with small grip caps, trigger plates with stylized pineapple finials and scroll engraved trigger guards with S#s on tails. Rectangular vacant silver crest plates are at tops of grips. Stocks attach to barrels with captive side bolts through oval silver escutcheons. Ebony ramrods with horn tips mount through plain pipes and nicely filed steel thimbles. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: guns are housed in their original mahogany case with circular "D" ring handle on top. Lid is held closed by two pendular brass hooks and key lock with typical Manton inverted tear drop bone escutcheon. Case is lined in green cloth and a John Manton No 6 Dover Street label is in lid. Case contains a reproduction 50 caliber ball mould, ebony and brass loading rod, possibly original three compartment powder, ball & flint flask with red Morocco cover and later steel oil bottle. Two covered compartments with bone knobs on covers contain cleaning jags and some lead balls. Also included is a copy of a catalog page featuring this pair of guns listed in an Amoskeag Auction with handwritten notation of $40,000. CONDITION: very fine. Barrels retaining most of their damascus finish with considerable pitting and staining after careful cleaning. Locks and breech irons retain most of their light case hardening color. A good deal of fire blue remains on feather springs, triggers and safetys. Trigger guards and plates retain a goodly about original blue; most loss on trigger guard bows is due to light cleaning with some staining evident on tangs. Stocks are quiet fine, retaining most of their original oil finish with a few minor marks and dings. Bores are very fine; shiny with some minor pitting toward muzzles. Locks are crisp; safetys work. One trigger will not set (probably gummed). Exterior of case is very fine with some added oil with no major repairs noted. A chip of wood is missing at right front corner. Interior cloth is good. Label is good with two large stains and overall foxing; two areas are rubbed through from contact with frizzens. Partitions are good. Accessories are generally good; flask is very fine. This fine pair of pistols is not listed in the Manton books by W. Keith Neal & D.H. Back, however S# 9737 pair of similar pistols is listed in the supplement. (01-27984/MGM). ANTIQUE. $10,000-20,000.