A Cased Pair Of 18-Bore Percussion Officer's Pistols

A Cased Pair Of 18-Bore Percussion Officer's Pistols By Beckwith, London, Circa 1840 With rebrowned twist octagonal sighted barrels each engraved 'LONDON' along the top flat and with silver bead fore-sight, case-hardened breeches each engraved with foliate scrolls and with platinum line and pierced platinum plug, border engraved tangs decorated with foliate scrollwork and each with back-sight, border engraved case-hardened back-action locks each signed in capitals and with safety-catch engaging with the back of the foliate engraved dolphin hammer, figured full stocks each with dark horn fore-end cap and chequered rounded butt, blued trigger-guards and turned ramrod-pipes, the former each with pineapple finial and decorated with foliate scrollwork on the border engraved bow, blued triggers, white-metal escutcheons engraved with owner's crest, stirrup ramrods, and much of their original finish: in original lined and fitted brass-mounted oak case with accessories including brass-mounted three-way powder-flask, the interior of the lid with illustrated maker's trade label (minor damage), the exterior with circular vacant brass escutcheon, London proof marks 16.5 cm. barrels Footnotes: William Andrew Beckwith was apprenticed to Wattell Clark in 1785. He was elected Master of the Gunmakers' Company in 1808, 1814, 1825 and again in 1840, the year before his death. He was Contractor to Ordnance in 1838 and to the East India Company between 1823 and 1841. He is recorded at 51 Skinner Street, Snow Hill, London between 1802 and 1841. The business was carried on by his widow Elizabeth until 1868 being in partnership with their son as Elizabeth Beckwith & Son between 1842 and 1853 This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing