Very Fine Pair of 14 Bore Silver-Mounted Holster Pistols by James Freeman, London, Circa 1715

With swamped three stage barrels each signed on the breech and engraved with a band of acanthus at the rear and with rear sighting groove in the border engraved tangs, signed border engraved rounded lock, cocks and steels and with safety bolts, moulded figured full stocks, each finely carved with floral tendrils around the tangs and the rear ramrod pipes, one tang with an old crack, full silver mounts, comprising border engraved spurred pommels with raised scallop shells and foliage and with grotesque mask caps. The trigger guards each engraved with a star on the bow and foliate finials, unusually shaped ramrod-pipes, cartouche shaped vacant escutcheons, original iron capped baleen ramrods, each with worm, side-plates cast and chased in relief with a sash, a falchion and two bearded heads in profile each wearing a nightcap, London proofs and Freeman’s barrel-smith’s mark, in fine condition throughout. James Paul Freeman was admitted to the freedom of the London Gunmaker’s Company on 5 July 1716, and the same year took over the premises in St. Martin’s Lane previously occupied be Andrew Dolep.  He was Master in 1732 and died in 1736.

Bls. – 8 7/8” – 22.7 cm.

O.A. – 14 7/8” – 37.8 cm.

Price – SOLD