SUPERB CASED GOLD ENCRUSTED DUAL IGNITION SHOTGUN BY THOMAS, PASAGE DELORME, PARIS, GUNMAKER TO THE KING OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY.

SN NSN. Cal. 16 ga. 29-9/16″ Bernard Steel bbls. Thomas exhibited firearms at the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris and at the 1851 Crystal Palace in London. A magnificent pair of gold encrusted percussion pistols formerly in the Robert Berryman Collection, presently in the Robert M. Lee Collection was shown at both exhibitions. Thomas was justly renowned for his artistry and innovation so much so he was appointed personal gunmaker to the King of Sweden and Norway. This magnificent exhibition gun is fitted with back action locks and serpentine hammers. The barrels are by the most famous barrel maker “AB” for Albert Bernard and so marked. The raised low relief gold inlay is so profuse that little steel is visible and consists of dogs and game amid large scrolling acanthus foliage all of the very highest quality. The gold scrolls surround the maker’s signature “THOMAS A PARIS”. The breeches feature 5 inches of gold and the muzzles are decorated with another 1.5 inches of gold. The steel ramrod pipes are inlaid with gold. The action and steel fore-end are decorated with a pair of snipe on the left and a pair of pheasant amid scrolls. The left lockplate depicts a dog and quail and the right plate a dog flushing pheasant. The niter blued level ends in a snake tip and gold grouse. The triggerguard is gold encrusted with a roe deer. The tang has a gold puppy and the buttplate is gold encrusted. The action represents an innovation as it may be converted from the relatively new at the time pinfire system to percussion. The stock is of the finest stump grained European walnut and is profusely inlaid throughout with gold wire in elaborate scrolls ending in expanded flowers and other designs. Most exhibition guns are inlaid with silver wire and the use of gold is of the greatest rarity and raises the artistry of this gun above all others as gold does not tarnish and turn black with age. Bore diameter: left -.700, right -.700. Bore restrictions: left -.000, right -.000. Minimum wall thickness: left -.032, right -.029. Drop at heel: 2″, drop at comb: 1-1/2″. Weight: 7 lbs 12 oz. LOP: 14-1/8″. This exceptional highly decorated French creation is housed in its orig plum-pudding mahogany case. The case is itself a work of the cabinet maker’s art and is of the finest quality, lined in dark green velvet and gilt stamped in the lid “THOMAS BREVETE” “ARQ.r SE S.M. LE ROI DE SUEDE ET DE NORVEGE” “PASSAGE DELORME” “A PARIS”. The case has scalloped brass corners and 14 brass straps. Accessories include a superb stitch decorated pigskin covered powder flask with German silver nozzle marked “BOCHE A PARIS”. Some accessories are missing while others are period replacements. The most important ones such as the flask are original. CONDITION: Excellent with evidence of cleaning on metal surfaces to remove grease and minor corrosion. Bbls retain considerable original brown. Action and lockplates retain much orig case hardening color. Operating lever, trigger guard and buttplate retain most of their charcoal blue, again with evidence of cleaning. Stock retains most of its oil finish, a number of areas are missing gold wire, and there are six places where wire is beginning to lift. Bores are excellent, slightly frosted. Action is tight. Locks are crisp. Auxiliary chambers retain most of their gold wash, and percussion nipples most of their fire blue. Case retains most of what appears to be its orig varnish finish, central brass shield is missing. Interior velvet is very fine with compressions and rubs from contact with gun and accessories. Most accessories are very fine. Leather of shot pouch is darkening. There is a crack in body of crimping tool. Like Nicholas Noel Boutet all Thomas guns are of the highest quality whether a relatively plain pair of pocket pistols or a splendid sporting gun like the present example. 4-55048 (17,500-37,500) – Lot 1547

Auction: Firearms - March 2015

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1547	$26,450.00	SUPERB CASED GOLD ENCRUSTED DUAL IGNITION SHOTGUN BY THOMAS, PASAGE DELORME, PARIS, GUNMAKER TO THE KING OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY. SN NSN. Cal. 16 ga. 29-9/16″ Bernard Steel bbls. Thomas exhibited firearms at the 1855 Exposition Universelle in Paris and at the 1851 Crystal Palace in London. A magnificent pair of gold encrusted percussion pistols formerly in the Robert Berryman Collection, presently in the Robert M. Lee Collection was shown at both exhibitions. Thomas was justly renowned for his artistry and innovation so much so he was appointed personal gunmaker to the King of Sweden and Norway. This magnificent exhibition gun is fitted with back action locks and serpentine hammers. The barrels are by the most famous barrel maker “AB” for Albert Bernard and so marked. The raised low relief gold inlay is so profuse that little steel is visible and consists of dogs and game amid large scrolling acanthus foliage all of the very highest quality. The gold scrolls surround the maker’s signature “THOMAS A PARIS”. The breeches feature 5 inches of gold and the muzzles are decorated with another 1.5 inches of gold. The steel ramrod pipes are inlaid with gold. The action and steel fore-end are decorated with a pair of snipe on the left and a pair of pheasant amid scrolls. The left lockplate depicts a dog and quail and the right plate a dog flushing pheasant. The niter blued level ends in a snake tip and gold grouse. The triggerguard is gold encrusted with a roe deer. The tang has a gold puppy and the buttplate is gold encrusted. The action represents an innovation as it may be converted from the relatively new at the time pinfire system to percussion. The stock is of the finest stump grained European walnut and is profusely inlaid throughout with gold wire in elaborate scrolls ending in expanded flowers and other designs. Most exhibition guns are inlaid with silver wire and the use of gold is of the greatest rarity and raises the artistry of this gun above all others as gold does not tarnish and turn black with age. Bore diameter: left -.700, right -.700. Bore restrictions: left -.000, right -.000. Minimum wall thickness: left -.032, right -.029. Drop at heel: 2″, drop at comb: 1-1/2″. Weight: 7 lbs 12 oz. LOP: 14-1/8″. This exceptional highly decorated French creation is housed in its orig plum-pudding mahogany case. The case is itself a work of the cabinet maker’s art and is of the finest quality, lined in dark green velvet and gilt stamped in the lid “THOMAS BREVETE” “ARQ.r SE S.M. LE ROI DE SUEDE ET DE NORVEGE” “PASSAGE DELORME” “A PARIS”. The case has scalloped brass corners and 14 brass straps. Accessories include a superb stitch decorated pigskin covered powder flask with German silver nozzle marked “BOCHE A PARIS”. Some accessories are missing while others are period replacements. The most important ones such as the flask are original. CONDITION: Excellent with evidence of cleaning on metal surfaces to remove grease and minor corrosion. Bbls retain considerable original brown. Action and lockplates retain much orig case hardening color. Operating lever, trigger guard and buttplate retain most of their charcoal blue, again with evidence of cleaning. Stock retains most of its oil finish, a number of areas are missing gold wire, and there are six places where wire is beginning to lift. Bores are excellent, slightly frosted. Action is tight. Locks are crisp. Auxiliary chambers retain most of their gold wash, and percussion nipples most of their fire blue. Case retains most of what appears to be its orig varnish finish, central brass shield is missing. Interior velvet is very fine with compressions and rubs from contact with gun and accessories. Most accessories are very fine. Leather of shot pouch is darkening. There is a crack in body of crimping tool. Like Nicholas Noel Boutet all Thomas guns are of the highest quality whether a relatively plain pair of pocket pistols or a splendid sporting gun like the present example. 4-55048 (17,500-37,500) – Lot 1547 Auction: Firearms - March 2015 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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SUPERB CASED GOLD ENCRUSTED DUAL IGNITION SHOTGUN BY THOMAS, PASAGE DELORME, PARIS, GUNMAKER TO THE KING OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY.