Product Details
THOMAS BOSS, LONDON
A FINE, RARE AND IMPORTANT CASED PAIR OF DOUBLE BARRELLED 40-BORE PERCUSSION CARRIAGE PISTOLS, serial no's. 1232/3
for 1853, with 7 1/2in browned fine-twist damascus sighted barrels, the top ribs inscribed 'THOMAS BOSS 73 ST JAMES'S STREET LONDON, colour hardened breeches with gold line and platinum plugs, border lined locks with superbly executed panels of scrolls signed 'THOMAS BOSS', sliding safeties, dolphin-headed percussion hammers with further scrolls, figured walnut half stocks, coarsely chequered butts (light bruising) with finely engraved steel furniture, serial numbers to trigger guard tangs, blued steel cross-bolts and captive iron stirrup mounted rammers, both pistols retaining the majority of their original finish, exhibiting a few minor patches of surface corrosion to the iron parts (one small patch of pitting to right hand barrel of pistol no. 1233), some loss of blue to trigger guard tangs, TOGETHER WITH a reproduction wooden, compartmented travelling case, period label to lid with a small common-top flask signed 'SYKES', a quality 'Joyces' cap tin, a scissors mould and small steel oil bottle
Provenance: These were the final pair of pistols made by Thomas Boss and were ordered by H.J. Standley, Esq. on 29th March 1853.
Literature: 'Boss & Co. Best Gunmakers' 2nd edition, Donald Dallas and published by Quiller Press 2005.
The pistols are illustrated on the back cover and also within the publication together with their maker's ledger entry (p.77).
Estimate £12,000-16,000