Fall 2023 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction
November 3rd, 4th, 5th, & 6th, 2023
This auction will feature an outstanding collection of items spanning multiple categories including Modern, Military, Sporting, & Antique firearms & militaria! Below is just a small grouping of select highlights from the massive offering to be featured in this upcoming sale!
LOVELY CASED PAIR OF JOSEPH MANTON FLINTLOCK SCRATCH RIFLED DUELLING OR HOLSTER PISTOLS ONCE THE PROPERTY OF LORD LOWTHER. EX. W. KEITH NEAL COLLECTION.
01-21908
Cal. 52 both.
S# 858 both (1796). (Assumed to be on bottoms of barrels not confirmed. Unable to take down).
The 10″ slightly swamped octagon skelp twist barrels are unmarked. Slightly inset patent breeches with gold touch holes are gold inlaid with lines at rear and have gold poincon marked “Joseph Manton. “PATENT” under a crown. Breech irons with armorial engraving are fitted with “U” notch rear sights dovetailed through. Locks with flat plates are fitted with serpentine cocks, semi-waterproof pans, bridled frizzens with small rollers on tails and feather springs with bulbous finials having teats. Locks are engraved with feather borders and have some arms at rears. “JOSEPH MANTON” “LONDON” is under pans. Trigger plates have pineapple finials. Trigger guards are engraved with arms on bows. European root walnut stocks extend to within 1/8″ of muzzles and have checkered bag grips with steel caps. Stocks attach to barrels with captive side bolts without escutcheons. Greenheart ramrods with horn tips mount through single beaded pipes and matching thimbles.
UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: pistols are housed in their original mahogany case with key lock closure. Top is fitted with circular “D” ring handle. A central oval is engraved “Lord Vist. Lowther” in script (William Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale also known as 2nd Viscount Lowther 1802-07). Interior is lined in green cloth. A paper label of Joseph Manton’s earliest type is in lid which is superimposed with two stamps “J. Holmes Gunmaker”. Bottom compartment fits pistols perfectly and is complete with an array of fine original accessories including; a red Morocco leather covered three compartment flask, walnut handled turn screw, steel nutcracker type ball mould stamped “48” and “858”, Greenheart loading rod with brass tip and tail with its ovate boxwood knob to be used for seating bullets and boxwood handled dusting brush. There are two covered compartments with bone knobs; one containing balls, the other holds original key for case. Central compartment holds two tags; one inscribed “Lord Lonsdales duelling pistols” “Lowther Castle sale”, the other side “Private Collection” “858 Serial Number” as well as a W. Keith Neal Collection medal number “C23”. These pistols are described on pg. 228 of the “The Manton Gunmakers” with owner noted as W. Keith Neal. This very label is pictured as plate 132.
Status: ANTIQUE
