SPECTACULAR CASED PAIR OF ROYALTY QUALITY ULBRICH PERCUSSION TARGET PISTOLS WITH PROVENANCE TO THE PRINCIPALITY OF SAXE-COBURG & GOTHA.

SPECTACULAR CASED PAIR OF ROYALTY QUALITY ULBRICH PERCUSSION TARGET PISTOLS WITH PROVENANCE TO THE PRINCIPALITY OF SAXE-COBURG & GOTHA. SN 1 & 2. Cal. about 45. Spectacular pair of pistols, made identically with 8-1/4″ slightly swamped oct. bbls with poly-rifled bores,tiny dovetailed front sights and elevation key-adjustable rear sights mounted in the top tangs. Top flats of the bbls are inlaid in gold “GEBOHRTER ENGL: STAHL” and they have wide and narrow gold inlaid bands at the muzzles and breech ends. The spectacular breech plugs have shielded nipple recesses with gold blow out plugs on the right sides with matching scalloped recesses on the left sides that have deep relief mythical engraved creatures with gold eyes. The top flats between the two scalloped recesses have rectangular gold cartouches “ULBRICH / DRESDEN”. The top tangs cover the entire tops of the stocks with pointed tails and are marked with gold inlaid “1” & “2” respectively. Lockplates are front action, 3-3/4″ long, slightly curved, with square tails and a most unusual recess for the hammers. Left side of the stocks have a matching side plate identical to the lockplate. They’re mounted in very highly figured, streaky French walnut half-stocks with relief carved dog’s heads at the tips of the forestocks. Bbls are secured with a single key through German silver escutcheons that have scalloped edges and light foliate engraved decoration. Stocks have raised side panels with matching square tails and gracefully curved grips with carved & checkered wrists and fluted oval butts that have matching ebony or hard rubber grip caps that are deep relief carved in foliate patterns with foliate rosettes around the engraved screws. Trigger guards are tapered ovals with hook finger rests and plain long lower tangs. Trigger plates have long decorative finials and they are equipped with single set triggers. All of the metal work is wonderfully relief engraved in delicate intertwined foliate arabesque patterns with gold washed backgrounds. The side plates are engraved with a large scroll that terminates in a mythical dragon’s head and the lockplates are engraved with finer scrolls, one of which terminates in a flower blossom and another in a different mythical creature’s head that resembles a dog. Hammers are matching engraved on the shanks with spectacular dolphin’s heads on the hammer noses that have gold inlaid eyes and gold fins. The hammer spurs are nicely shaded with rough stippling spurs. Top tangs are engraved to match with gold wire inlay outlines around the screw holes and rear sights. Accompanied by their spectacular orig burl walnut veneered presentation casing that is royal purple velvet lined and recessed in the bottom for the pistols, a wonderfully carved stag horn powder flask with carved wooden acorn finial, a fine ebony handled turn-screw, a small round steel oil bottle and a very unusual ebony handled hammer with carved stag horn head and bone rammer tip with sliding crown stag guide. There’s also the original burnished steel sight adjusting key, a beautiful fire blued steel and brass worm and a brass jag. It appears that the cleaning rod and bullet starter are missing. Two covered compartments in the left rear are filled with wax lubricated patches and the right front covered compartment is filled with cast lead balls. Most interesting of the set is the engraved silver oval plate inlaid in the lid of the case and retained with four screws. The plate is engraved with a crown over an old English “E” with a laurel leaf wreath below. These pistols are reported to have belonged to either Ernst the First or Ernst the Second, father and son, who were in their turn Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Ernst I ruled from 1826 to 1844. When he died, his son Ernst became Ernst II and ruled from 1844 until his death in 1893. Both of these gentlemen were known as sportsmen, outdoorsmen and hunters. Ernst II’s younger brother, Albert, married their cousin Queen Victoria and ruled England with her until his death in 1861. The Duchy of Sax-Coburg-Gotha was a small German state of about 763 square miles with a 1905 population estimated at 242,000 people. After the death of Ernst II, the title passed to a relative named Carl Eduard who reigned until November 1918 when he was deposed during the German Revolution. The two Duchys of Coburg and Gotha became separate states and were shortly thereafter merged, with Coberg becoming part of Bavaria and Gotha part of the state of Thuringia in the Weimar Republic. There is no doubt that this pair of pistols was created for royalty and with the inlaid plaque on the lid indicating ownership by Duke Ernst, probably Ernst II, it stands to reason that these pistols were created specifically for him. CONDITION: Pistols are extremely fine. They are probably unfired with pistol 1 having an area of flaking around the muzzle and a few spots of fine surface rust elsewhere. Balance of the metal retains about all of its original spectacular finish with some minor flaking on the front straps of both pistols. Stocks are sound with minor handling and storage nicks and scratches and retain virtually of their original hand-rubbed oil finish. Pistol 2 is missing the hammer half cock notch, otherwise mechanics are crisp. Bores are grease filled but appear to be new and unused. Case has a slightly warped lid with a couple of cracks in the bottom and normal handling and storage nicks and scratches and retains most of its original varnish. Interior is lightly soiled with minor damage in the front pistol recess. 4-39806 JR411 (25,000-35,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010

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
	2566	$18,400.00	SPECTACULAR CASED PAIR OF ROYALTY QUALITY ULBRICH PERCUSSION TARGET PISTOLS WITH PROVENANCE TO THE PRINCIPALITY OF SAXE-COBURG & GOTHA. SN 1 & 2. Cal. about 45. Spectacular pair of pistols, made identically with 8-1/4″ slightly swamped oct. bbls with poly-rifled bores,tiny dovetailed front sights and elevation key-adjustable rear sights mounted in the top tangs. Top flats of the bbls are inlaid in gold “GEBOHRTER ENGL: STAHL” and they have wide and narrow gold inlaid bands at the muzzles and breech ends. The spectacular breech plugs have shielded nipple recesses with gold blow out plugs on the right sides with matching scalloped recesses on the left sides that have deep relief mythical engraved creatures with gold eyes. The top flats between the two scalloped recesses have rectangular gold cartouches “ULBRICH / DRESDEN”. The top tangs cover the entire tops of the stocks with pointed tails and are marked with gold inlaid “1” & “2” respectively. Lockplates are front action, 3-3/4″ long, slightly curved, with square tails and a most unusual recess for the hammers. Left side of the stocks have a matching side plate identical to the lockplate. They’re mounted in very highly figured, streaky French walnut half-stocks with relief carved dog’s heads at the tips of the forestocks. Bbls are secured with a single key through German silver escutcheons that have scalloped edges and light foliate engraved decoration. Stocks have raised side panels with matching square tails and gracefully curved grips with carved & checkered wrists and fluted oval butts that have matching ebony or hard rubber grip caps that are deep relief carved in foliate patterns with foliate rosettes around the engraved screws. Trigger guards are tapered ovals with hook finger rests and plain long lower tangs. Trigger plates have long decorative finials and they are equipped with single set triggers. All of the metal work is wonderfully relief engraved in delicate intertwined foliate arabesque patterns with gold washed backgrounds. The side plates are engraved with a large scroll that terminates in a mythical dragon’s head and the lockplates are engraved with finer scrolls, one of which terminates in a flower blossom and another in a different mythical creature’s head that resembles a dog. Hammers are matching engraved on the shanks with spectacular dolphin’s heads on the hammer noses that have gold inlaid eyes and gold fins. The hammer spurs are nicely shaded with rough stippling spurs. Top tangs are engraved to match with gold wire inlay outlines around the screw holes and rear sights. Accompanied by their spectacular orig burl walnut veneered presentation casing that is royal purple velvet lined and recessed in the bottom for the pistols, a wonderfully carved stag horn powder flask with carved wooden acorn finial, a fine ebony handled turn-screw, a small round steel oil bottle and a very unusual ebony handled hammer with carved stag horn head and bone rammer tip with sliding crown stag guide. There’s also the original burnished steel sight adjusting key, a beautiful fire blued steel and brass worm and a brass jag. It appears that the cleaning rod and bullet starter are missing. Two covered compartments in the left rear are filled with wax lubricated patches and the right front covered compartment is filled with cast lead balls. Most interesting of the set is the engraved silver oval plate inlaid in the lid of the case and retained with four screws. The plate is engraved with a crown over an old English “E” with a laurel leaf wreath below. These pistols are reported to have belonged to either Ernst the First or Ernst the Second, father and son, who were in their turn Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Ernst I ruled from 1826 to 1844. When he died, his son Ernst became Ernst II and ruled from 1844 until his death in 1893. Both of these gentlemen were known as sportsmen, outdoorsmen and hunters. Ernst II’s younger brother, Albert, married their cousin Queen Victoria and ruled England with her until his death in 1861. The Duchy of Sax-Coburg-Gotha was a small German state of about 763 square miles with a 1905 population estimated at 242,000 people. After the death of Ernst II, the title passed to a relative named Carl Eduard who reigned until November 1918 when he was deposed during the German Revolution. The two Duchys of Coburg and Gotha became separate states and were shortly thereafter merged, with Coberg becoming part of Bavaria and Gotha part of the state of Thuringia in the Weimar Republic. There is no doubt that this pair of pistols was created for royalty and with the inlaid plaque on the lid indicating ownership by Duke Ernst, probably Ernst II, it stands to reason that these pistols were created specifically for him. CONDITION: Pistols are extremely fine. They are probably unfired with pistol 1 having an area of flaking around the muzzle and a few spots of fine surface rust elsewhere. Balance of the metal retains about all of its original spectacular finish with some minor flaking on the front straps of both pistols. Stocks are sound with minor handling and storage nicks and scratches and retain virtually of their original hand-rubbed oil finish. Pistol 2 is missing the hammer half cock notch, otherwise mechanics are crisp. Bores are grease filled but appear to be new and unused. Case has a slightly warped lid with a couple of cracks in the bottom and normal handling and storage nicks and scratches and retains most of its original varnish. Interior is lightly soiled with minor damage in the front pistol recess. 4-39806 JR411 (25,000-35,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2010 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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