CASED PAIR OF FRENCH PRESENTATION TARGET PISTOLS FROM EMPEROR NAPOLEAN III.

CASED PAIR OF FRENCH PRESENTATION TARGET PISTOLS FROM EMPEROR NAPOLEAN III. Cal. 50. NSN. Made by Baillot & Heberard. Spectacular pieces of art with 10-1/4″ oct bbls with parabolic rifling, finished in high polish blue with dainty dovetailed blade front sights & elevation adjustable rear sight. Top three flats are inlaid in gold: Top left flat “ECOLE NORMALE DE TIR. 1859 / 1 ER PRIX D’INSTRUCTION.” Top flat has “DONN’E PAR L’EMPEREUR” and has a large raised gold crown over a raised gold “N”. Right flat has “A MR DUCHET / ENSEIGNE DE VAISSEAU”. The inscription reads roughly, “Given by the emperor to Mr. Duchet, ensign of the ship. First place in the class of the Normale School of Shooting 1859” (the Normale Shooting School was a military school associated with the navy). Both pistols are inlaid identically. They have flat stepped tail front action locks with gooseneck hammers & sweeping nipple shield, with stepped top tang, oval wedge escutcheons, a finger rest trigger guard with pointed finial & long lower tang and an oval buttcap with turned finial. All metal is finished bright & beautifully engraved with delicate foliate & vine patterns. They are mounted in French walnut half stocks with deep relief foliate & vine carving at tip of forestock & on both sides of grip & down back strap with four patterns of deep flutes on each side of butt. Accompanied by their orig burled rosewood brass bound green velvet lined casing compartmented for pistols, orig bullet mold with sprue cutter & wooden handled hollow base tool. Also included is orig nipple wrench/screwdriver with turned & faceted wooden handle with brass ferrule, a small unmarked plain bag-shaped flask, a brass & ebony ramrod and a brass & ebony cleaning jag. There is also a round rosewood box with patches. There are two covered corner compartments. Inside of lid has the name, “BAILLOT & HEBERARD / A PARIS” embossed in gold in fabric. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. One pistol retains about 90% glossy bright orig blue with several spots of flaking turned to light patina. Wood is sound & retains most of its orig finish with a few scratches on left side flat. Bright metal retains most of its orig factory polish, slightly dull on front strap. Second pistol retains 85-90% orig glossy bright blue with several spots of flaking & fine pitting. Bright metal is identical to other pistol. Wood is sound with a few light scratches & retains most of its orig finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bores. Accessories are in comparable condition. Case is fine with a few grain checks in lid & a crack in bottom and retains most of its orig finish. Lining in lid is crisp & bright, slightly faded in bottom. 4-57763 (25,000-40,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2006

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
	98A.	$0.00	CASED PAIR OF FRENCH PRESENTATION TARGET PISTOLS FROM EMPEROR NAPOLEAN III. Cal. 50. NSN. Made by Baillot & Heberard. Spectacular pieces of art with 10-1/4″ oct bbls with parabolic rifling, finished in high polish blue with dainty dovetailed blade front sights & elevation adjustable rear sight. Top three flats are inlaid in gold: Top left flat “ECOLE NORMALE DE TIR. 1859 / 1 ER PRIX D’INSTRUCTION.” Top flat has “DONN’E PAR L’EMPEREUR” and has a large raised gold crown over a raised gold “N”. Right flat has “A MR DUCHET / ENSEIGNE DE VAISSEAU”. The inscription reads roughly, “Given by the emperor to Mr. Duchet, ensign of the ship. First place in the class of the Normale School of Shooting 1859” (the Normale Shooting School was a military school associated with the navy). Both pistols are inlaid identically. They have flat stepped tail front action locks with gooseneck hammers & sweeping nipple shield, with stepped top tang, oval wedge escutcheons, a finger rest trigger guard with pointed finial & long lower tang and an oval buttcap with turned finial. All metal is finished bright & beautifully engraved with delicate foliate & vine patterns. They are mounted in French walnut half stocks with deep relief foliate & vine carving at tip of forestock & on both sides of grip & down back strap with four patterns of deep flutes on each side of butt. Accompanied by their orig burled rosewood brass bound green velvet lined casing compartmented for pistols, orig bullet mold with sprue cutter & wooden handled hollow base tool. Also included is orig nipple wrench/screwdriver with turned & faceted wooden handle with brass ferrule, a small unmarked plain bag-shaped flask, a brass & ebony ramrod and a brass & ebony cleaning jag. There is also a round rosewood box with patches. There are two covered corner compartments. Inside of lid has the name, “BAILLOT & HEBERARD / A PARIS” embossed in gold in fabric. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. One pistol retains about 90% glossy bright orig blue with several spots of flaking turned to light patina. Wood is sound & retains most of its orig finish with a few scratches on left side flat. Bright metal retains most of its orig factory polish, slightly dull on front strap. Second pistol retains 85-90% orig glossy bright blue with several spots of flaking & fine pitting. Bright metal is identical to other pistol. Wood is sound with a few light scratches & retains most of its orig finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bores. Accessories are in comparable condition. Case is fine with a few grain checks in lid & a crack in bottom and retains most of its orig finish. Lining in lid is crisp & bright, slightly faded in bottom. 4-57763 (25,000-40,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2006 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;}