PAIR OF NICHOLAS BOUTET PISTOLS CONVERTED TO PERCUSSION.

PAIR OF NICHOLAS BOUTET PISTOLS CONVERTED TO PERCUSSION. SN NSN. Cal. .595 Bore diameters. These finely made pistols by this most famous French maker, are in “as found” condition, showing long period of use, and changes with evolving firearms technology. Pistols were probably produced in the late 1790’s. 10-1/4″ Oct bbls are deeply swamped, producing considerable flare at muzzles. Rear portion of bbls are engraved with gold washed acanthus scrolls flanking central urn and swag. Four gunmakers poincons are also stamped around breech and are not quite legible, but central mark appears to be “NB”. Flanking bbl flats are engraved “Boutet Directeury Artiste” and “Manufacture a Versailles”. Bbls have been converted to percussion with shaped drums and nipples. Steel bead front sights are in narrow dovetails. There are filled dovetailed blanks 3/4″ back from muzzles where sights have been removed. Bbl tangs are finely engraved with sight blade filed in. Later tapped holes for peep sights are behind mounting screws. Nicely filed and chamfered lockplates have rebated tails with small ball-shaped teats, and are fitted with nicely engraved flat bodied hammers. There is matching engraving at front of lockplates. One lockplate is engraved “Boutet” “Directeur Artiste”, and the other “Manufre. a Versailles”. Trigger plates are fitted with set triggers that have ball-shaped adjustment screws. Steel trigger guards have large fancy filed finials, and nicely filed bows. Target finger spurs have been added at a later date. European walnut stocks extend to muzzles and affix to bbls with two side nails, and have exceptionally fine relief scrolled acanthus carving behind lockplates and tailpipes. Fluting is at edges of bbl and ramrod channels, as well as along grips, framing flat top squared checkering. Flared grips have fine carving around engraved steel caps. Mahogany ramrods have brass tails with threaded ends, and what were probably horn tips, are missing. Faceted rod pipes have nicely filed beaded ends, and tailpipes have stylized shell-engraved finials. CONDITION: Good. Iron parts are mostly gray brown patina, a considerable amount of gold wash is missing from rear of bbls. Stocks are fine, edges slightly rounded from handling and wear. Right front bbl channel of one pistol has a 1-1/2″ x 3/8″ repair, the other has a repaired piece missing on left fore piece at muzzle, with crack running back toward side nail mortise. This pistol also has a 1-1/2″ crack starting from about lockplate toward center. Locks are crisp. Set triggers work. 4-42082 MGM135 (6,000-9,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011

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
	2561	$8,625.00	PAIR OF NICHOLAS BOUTET PISTOLS CONVERTED TO PERCUSSION. SN NSN. Cal. .595 Bore diameters. These finely made pistols by this most famous French maker, are in “as found” condition, showing long period of use, and changes with evolving firearms technology. Pistols were probably produced in the late 1790’s. 10-1/4″ Oct bbls are deeply swamped, producing considerable flare at muzzles. Rear portion of bbls are engraved with gold washed acanthus scrolls flanking central urn and swag. Four gunmakers poincons are also stamped around breech and are not quite legible, but central mark appears to be “NB”. Flanking bbl flats are engraved “Boutet Directeury Artiste” and “Manufacture a Versailles”. Bbls have been converted to percussion with shaped drums and nipples. Steel bead front sights are in narrow dovetails. There are filled dovetailed blanks 3/4″ back from muzzles where sights have been removed. Bbl tangs are finely engraved with sight blade filed in. Later tapped holes for peep sights are behind mounting screws. Nicely filed and chamfered lockplates have rebated tails with small ball-shaped teats, and are fitted with nicely engraved flat bodied hammers. There is matching engraving at front of lockplates. One lockplate is engraved “Boutet” “Directeur Artiste”, and the other “Manufre. a Versailles”. Trigger plates are fitted with set triggers that have ball-shaped adjustment screws. Steel trigger guards have large fancy filed finials, and nicely filed bows. Target finger spurs have been added at a later date. European walnut stocks extend to muzzles and affix to bbls with two side nails, and have exceptionally fine relief scrolled acanthus carving behind lockplates and tailpipes. Fluting is at edges of bbl and ramrod channels, as well as along grips, framing flat top squared checkering. Flared grips have fine carving around engraved steel caps. Mahogany ramrods have brass tails with threaded ends, and what were probably horn tips, are missing. Faceted rod pipes have nicely filed beaded ends, and tailpipes have stylized shell-engraved finials. CONDITION: Good. Iron parts are mostly gray brown patina, a considerable amount of gold wash is missing from rear of bbls. Stocks are fine, edges slightly rounded from handling and wear. Right front bbl channel of one pistol has a 1-1/2″ x 3/8″ repair, the other has a repaired piece missing on left fore piece at muzzle, with crack running back toward side nail mortise. This pistol also has a 1-1/2″ crack starting from about lockplate toward center. Locks are crisp. Set triggers work. 4-42082 MGM135 (6,000-9,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011 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.

.red{fill:#B50938;} .white{fill:#FFFFFF;} .blue{fill:#005596;}