PAIR OF JOHN BASS (LONDON) FLINTLOCK DUELING PISTOLS WITH CASE.

PAIR OF JOHN BASS (LONDON) FLINTLOCK DUELING PISTOLS WITH CASE. SN NSN. (ca. 1792) (Bass worked with Twigg ca. 1780, on his own 1791 – 1794). Cal..590 Smooth bore. 10″ Slightly swamped octagonal bbls fitted with 4-1/2″ under ribs, mounted with beaded end pipe, hold rosewood ramrods with horn tips; one with steel worm tail. Bbls are fitted with brass barleycorn front and V-notch rear sights. “BASS LONDON” is in large crowned gold poincon on top flats. There is a gold band at breech ends of bbls, and touch holes are gold-lined. Breech irons have stand-of-arms and floral engraving. Nicely filed and chamfered locks with gold lined semi-waterproof pans, have roller frizzens with roller in frizzen. Frizzens are also gold-lined, and have hole where sliding safety engages to keep them in down position. Lockplates have rebated tails, and are mounted with beautifully filed tall serpentine chamfered cocks. Tumblers are fitted with detents, and internals are beautifully polished, with tumblers and springs blued. Trigger plates are fitted with single set triggers. Trigger guards have stylized pineapple finials, and have armorial engraving on double beaded bows. Dark European walnut stocks have slab-sided bag grips that are fully checkered, and mount to bbls with side nails through oval silver escutcheons. Forend tips are also of silver. Dovetailed mahogany case with pivoting hook closure has circular D-ring inset handle and brass corners on top. Interior is lined with sprayed on green flocking. Case contains a 3″ Sykes marked copper plain body flask, another 4″ flask by Dixon with gray lacquered copper body, brass nutcracker type mold stamped “58” and “Made in England”, along with some flints and brass ramrod tail with worm. CONDITION: Fine. Bbls retain most of what appears to be their orig brown, but probably is an old brown over considerable scattered pinprick pitting. Breech irons and locks are mostly pewter gray. There are traces of orig blue on trigger guards. Stocks retain a considerable amount of what appears to be their orig finish, considerably darkened. Bores are very fine, bright and shiny with some frosting toward muzzles. Locks and frizzens are crisp. Tail of one ramrod is short. One cock is broken at top, and been welded. Top jaw and screw are replaced. Older case has been refinished and fitted, and retains most of that finish. Brass corners and D-ring handle were added later. Lid partially detached. Interior flocking is fine. Sykes and Dixon flasks are excellent. Pistols don’t fit well into case. 4-45142 MGM261 (5,000-7,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2012

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
	2354	$8,625.00	PAIR OF JOHN BASS (LONDON) FLINTLOCK DUELING PISTOLS WITH CASE. SN NSN. (ca. 1792) (Bass worked with Twigg ca. 1780, on his own 1791 – 1794). Cal..590 Smooth bore. 10″ Slightly swamped octagonal bbls fitted with 4-1/2″ under ribs, mounted with beaded end pipe, hold rosewood ramrods with horn tips; one with steel worm tail. Bbls are fitted with brass barleycorn front and V-notch rear sights. “BASS LONDON” is in large crowned gold poincon on top flats. There is a gold band at breech ends of bbls, and touch holes are gold-lined. Breech irons have stand-of-arms and floral engraving. Nicely filed and chamfered locks with gold lined semi-waterproof pans, have roller frizzens with roller in frizzen. Frizzens are also gold-lined, and have hole where sliding safety engages to keep them in down position. Lockplates have rebated tails, and are mounted with beautifully filed tall serpentine chamfered cocks. Tumblers are fitted with detents, and internals are beautifully polished, with tumblers and springs blued. Trigger plates are fitted with single set triggers. Trigger guards have stylized pineapple finials, and have armorial engraving on double beaded bows. Dark European walnut stocks have slab-sided bag grips that are fully checkered, and mount to bbls with side nails through oval silver escutcheons. Forend tips are also of silver. Dovetailed mahogany case with pivoting hook closure has circular D-ring inset handle and brass corners on top. Interior is lined with sprayed on green flocking. Case contains a 3″ Sykes marked copper plain body flask, another 4″ flask by Dixon with gray lacquered copper body, brass nutcracker type mold stamped “58” and “Made in England”, along with some flints and brass ramrod tail with worm. CONDITION: Fine. Bbls retain most of what appears to be their orig brown, but probably is an old brown over considerable scattered pinprick pitting. Breech irons and locks are mostly pewter gray. There are traces of orig blue on trigger guards. Stocks retain a considerable amount of what appears to be their orig finish, considerably darkened. Bores are very fine, bright and shiny with some frosting toward muzzles. Locks and frizzens are crisp. Tail of one ramrod is short. One cock is broken at top, and been welded. Top jaw and screw are replaced. Older case has been refinished and fitted, and retains most of that finish. Brass corners and D-ring handle were added later. Lid partially detached. Interior flocking is fine. Sykes and Dixon flasks are excellent. Pistols don’t fit well into case. 4-45142 MGM261 (5,000-7,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2012 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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