 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Percussion Converstion Pistols From 1710, .62 cal. horse holster pistols
Guns International #: 101291950 Seller's Inventory #:
Category: Pairs of Pistols - Antique - Antique Pistols - Flintlock
Seller's Information
When emailing or calling sellers direct, please mention that you saw their listing on GunsInternational.com
Seller: Loyd Griswold
Member Since: 9/11/19
First Name: Loyd
Last Name: Griswold
State: South Dakota
Zip: 57567
Country: United States
Phone: (605) 859-3520
Number of Active Listings: 0
Total Number of Listings: 1
Seller: Private Seller
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Payment Types Accepted: cashier's checks, money orders and personal checks
Description:
Superb Pair of 300 Year Old Flintlock Conversion to Percussion Pistols by PHILIPPE DE SELIER, Liege and Paris, ca. 1700-1720. ... Nice large size… 20nches overall length with 12 7/8 barrels. The 62 cal. steel barrels have three maker's cartouches “PS”and crown. Barrels are nicely swamped and have inset elongated low profile brass blade front sights. Locks are maker signed 'PHILIPPE DE SELIER' around the bottom of the bolsters (where the pans used to be). I find several listings for Philippe De Selier aka Philippe Selier, aka Phillipe de Sellier… mainly in antique European museum catalogs. A German catalog lists him as working in Paris and Liege ca. 1710. He is known to have made fine quality flintlock pistols, sporting rifles, and military fusils. My matched pair of large horse or holster pistols have beautiful relief hand carved walnut stocks with superb hand worked and engraved brass furniture with a semi grotesque, “scary pudgy face”, worked and engraved into each of the brass butt caps. Both have dragon engraved brass screw plates on their left side. Both retain their original wood ram rods, one is repaired. Almost identical, except one has a brass breech plug tang while the other has steel. Comments in the European museum catalogs indicate that Selier sometimes liked to use brass decoration on his barrels. The wrist of each gun is inlaid with a pierced brass escutcheon. When viewed at a distance these escutcheons are somewhat reminiscent of a skull. The conversion to percussion ignition was done circa 1830s, and done expertly. These 300 year old guns were used and cared for, for over a century as flintlocks. After 100+ years they were then expertly converted to the new percussion system in the 1830s and used carefully for another generation or more. I wish they could stand up and tell us their story. They are truly magnificent. They saw service from the days of Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI, the War of Spanish Succession up through The French Revolution, into the French 1st Empire, Waterloo era, and beyond… perhaps into the Crimea. These are high quality arms that were expensive when they were produced, and are now extremely rare and valuable as collector’s arms. In searching comparable guns on the market I find that a nearly identical single pistol in flintlock ignition with replaced cock sold for 3,120 Euros ($4,180 usd) in March 2007 at a Sotheby’s in Copenhagen. Also found, a near identical single flintlock pistol advertised at $8,500 usd by Tortuga Trading Company and shown as sold. Though mine have been converted to percussion, the fact that they are a matched pair and still in truly fine condition allows me to price them at $6,950 with true conviction that they are a bargain at this price. A matched pair of quality 300 year old pistols…. For the pair…
SOLD
Antique: Yes
Manufacturer: Philippe De Selier
Model: Horse holster pistols
Caliber Info: .62
Condition: Fine
Barrels: octogon to round
Action: percussion
Manufacture Date: 1710
Engraving: chisel