Pair of flintlock pistols commissioned by Emperor Napoleon I - Lot 233

Lot n° 233
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Estimation :
40000 - 80000 EUR
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Result : 461 563EUR
Pair of flintlock pistols commissioned by Emperor Napoleon I - Lot 233
Pair of flintlock pistols commissioned by Emperor Napoleon I for his personal use from the harquebusier Lepage, First Empire, 1811-1814 Pistols modeled after staff pistols. Burnished octagonal barrels, hair rifling, slightly flared at the muzzle bearing a silver barley grain, fixed frog at the thunders, fixed to the shafts of the mounts by two draw pins. The barrels are engraved in cursive letters on the left sides "Le Page a Paris", on the upper sides "231." and on the right sides "Arquer de l'Empereur". L. 21.5 cm, D. 1.72 cm, L. with breech pins 26.8 cm. Under the barrels: hallmark "JR" under imperial crown, in an oval, mark of Jean-François Renette, gunner in Paris, circa 1780/1811, hallmark of Jean-François Renette, "N°1351" and date "A.1811". Flintlock locks and flat-bodied hammers, locks signed "Le Page A Paris", hammers' upper jaws engraved "321". The lock plates are stamped and dated on the inside as well as on the underside of the barrels. Long walnut shafts, finely checkered sloping stocks. Plain steel fittings with scalloped contours, including trigger guards, two-part counter plates, oval-shaped flat caps, ramrod holders. Wooden chopsticks with gilded brass fittings. L. 36.5 cm France First Empire (1811-1814) Very good condition. Re-colored barrels, minor restorations to hammer and mounts, later ramrods. 347 CH Provenance: - Former Marsan collection. Exhibition: - Pair of pistols included in the exhibition "Quand Bonaparte devint Napoléon" at Wasquehal from January 31 to February 22, 2004. Exhibition curator Bernard Croissy 2004, p., cat. 51, ill. Maison Le Page's handwritten book of orders and deliveries lists this pair of pistols as part of a delivery to Emperor Napoleon I, on January 2, 1812, of six pairs at the unit price of 260 francs, the numbers of which are clearly specified: "2 Jan. 1812 S. M. l'Empereur (...) 6 pres pistols de Calibre Calottes acier 1340 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 50 - 51 à 260". The pistols in this order, of the ordinance model according to the regulations of 1st Vendémiaire An XII, were probably intended to be placed in the carriages used by the Emperor. They undoubtedly accompanied the Emperor on his Russian campaign in 1812. Mr. Bernard Croissy mentions in his catalog that seven other pairs of pistols were delivered in February 1812, of the vendémiaire an XII model for general officers. Three pairs of this model are currently known, all in private collections. The one presented here, one in a private collection and a third identical pair part of the same imperial order from the former Laissus collection, was presented on November 7, 2013, by Mr. Bernard Croissy, lot 107 at Maître Thierry de Maigret at Hôtel Drouot, it bears the number 247 engraved on the barrels and "N. 1351" under the barrels. Pair of flintlock pistols commissioned by Emperor Napoleon I for his personal use from the harquebusier Lepage, Napoleon I, 1811-1814. Pistols modelled on staff pistols. Burnished octagonal barrels, hair rifling, slightly flared at the muzzle bearing a silver barley grain, fixed frog at the thunders, fixed to the shafts of the mounts by two draw pins. The barrels are engraved in cursive letters on the left side 'Le Page A Paris', on the top side '231' and on the right side 'Arquer de l'Empereur'. L. 8 7/16 in - D. 11/16 in - L. with breech pins 10 1/2 in. Under the barrels: hallmark 'JR' under imperial crown, in an oval, mark of Jean-François Renette, gunmaker in Paris, circa 1780/1811, hallmark of Jean-François Renette, 'N°1351' and date 'A.1811'. Flintlock locks and flat bodied hammers, signed 'Le Page A Paris', hammers upper jaws engraved '321'. The locks are stamped and dated on the inside as well as under the barrels. Long walnut barrels with finely checkered sloping stocks. Plain steel fittings with scalloped contours, including trigger guards, two-part counter plates, flat oval caps and ramrod holders. Wooden sticks with gilded brass fittings. Total L. 14 3/8 in France. Napoleon I (1811-1814). Very good condition. Re-coloured barrels, minor restorations to hammer and mounts, later ramrods. Translations at the end of the catalog
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