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Attractive Cased Pair Of British Flintlock Officers Pistols by Gatehouse

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:NA
Attractive Cased Pair Of British Flintlock Officers Pistols by Gatehouse
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20 bore, 9 1/8'' octagon barrels with fair-good bores showing old oxidation and light pitting their full-lengths. This is a nice pair of British pistols in the original flint and having seen a fair amount of use but maintain an attractive honest appearance overall. The barrels show subtle damascus patterns with a healthy amount of antique plum-brown finish mixing with pleasant smooth gray-brown patina and some scattered lightly cleaned pinprick pitting, a bit more moderate around the touch holes. The barrel flats show London proof marks and the locks are more of a pleasant medium gray patina showing a little sparse pinprick pitting. The lockplates are stepped at the rear with beveled edges and are neatly maker-marked in center ''GATEHOUSE'', equipped with attractive hardware including waterproof pans and bridled roller frizzens. The upper tangs show light foliate embellishments and are lightly scratched ''ST / 1776'', one of the tangs with a crack through the screw. The insides of the lockplate are marked ''IR'' and the locks are matching their barrels and stocks with assembly hash marks ''I'' and ''III'', respectively. The barrels are secured with a pair of wedges without escutcheons and iron hardware consists of ramrod thimbles, tailpipes, wide oval triggerguard with attractive pineapple extensions and circular lock screw escutcheons with light border engraving. The bows of the guards show light panoply of arms motifs. The finely checkered walnut stocks with short rounded grips remain in very good plus to about very fine condition showing some overall light dings and dents, one pistol with a shallow 1'' chip above the rear edge of lockplate and the other with a crack at the rear lock screw and through the rear wedge along the left side. The checkering with nice mullered borders remains quite strong and the stocks otherwise maintain a nice appearance overall. The original horn-tipped hickory ramrods are present, the worm end of one having broken off long ago. The pistols are sighted with small blade front sights and the locks are crisp and seem to function well mechanically. The pistols come housed in an antique mahogany case that remains in fine condition showing a few moderate drying cracks along the top of the lid and some other dings from the years. Case features sliding catches and brass lock escutcheon along with a lid plate that is very neatly engraved in fine script ''Lt. Stephen Tucker / Woodstock, Conn.'' The interior is lined in green baize that shows some mild staining and small tears scattered about. The case has two covered compartments and contains a rosewood-handled jag, pair of keys, dual compartment leather-covered Dixon & Sons powder flask in very fine condition, antique single cavity round ball mould and a Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution silk pennant that is dated February 23, 1891. Stephen Tucker (1732-1808) of Connecticut served during the Revolutionary War though these pistols are a bit anachronistic for his lifetime as, based on their features and proof marks, were no doubt made in the 1820s. Tucker served as a lieutenant in the Fourth Connecticut Light Horse Regiment under Major Ebenezer Backus. The unit saw extensive action at the Siege of Boston, Battle of Bunker Hill, Long Island and more. Tucker also served as quartermaster for his regiment. Stephen Tucker did have a son and grandson named Stephen, however preliminary research has not determined if they also served in the military. In any event this is an attractive pair of quality British pistols in an interesting case that would make for a very fine addition to any antique arms collection. (13D11519-3) {ANTIQUE} (7000/9000)