A Rare South German 28-Bore Wheel-Lock Holster Pistol (Puffer)

A Rare South German 28-Bore Wheel-Lock Holster Pistol (Puffer) Circa 1585, Probably Augsburg With two-stage barrel chiselled with acanthus at the slightly flared muzzle, girdle and at the back of the octagonal breech, the chiselling retaining traces of gilding, the top flat at the breech stamped with Augsburg mark and maker's mark of Bernhard Albrecht (Neue Støckel 7008), tang punched with foliage, plain flat lock with circular wheel-retaining bracket pierced and engraved with a pair of foliate monsters and retained by two screws, plain cock acting against a chiselled spring, the baluster bracket with tapering baluster terminal, sprung sliding pan-cover with release button formed as a screw, engraved safety-catch acting against a chiselled external spring, the bracket with terminal en suite, ebonised full stock profusely inlaid with engraved white staghorn or bone panels in the manner of the so-called 'Master of the Castles' including a Classical warrior standing on a pedestal above a mask along the back of the butt, a pair of female figures flanking the tang, two male figures in contemporary costume along the underside, a human mask between, and on the side-flat with a cartouche framing a Classical battle scene, a figure in combat with an animal and a townscape on either side, all between horn lines and borders engraved with scrollwork and cabling, compressed ball-pommel inlaid with horn roundels engraved with male and female portrait busts between plain and cabled lines, and bound with five gilt-copper straps (gilding worn) chased with a repeated design of strapwork, basal collar en suite, and with gilt roundel-cap cast with two Classical horsemen in combat over a Herculean figure, slender iron trigger-guard, gilt trigger, horn ramrod-pipes (one missing) engraved with grotesque masks, fore-end cap engraved with scrolls, and later ramrod with foliate engraved horn tip (minor damage and repairs) 29.3 cm. barrel Footnotes: Provenance Dr. Robert Amalric Collection Christie's London, Fine Antique Arms And Armour Including The Collection Of Dr. Robert Amalric, 24 May 2006, lot 124 For a discussion of a related pair of pistols stocked in the manner of the 'Master of the Castles' see Claude Blair, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, Arms, Armour and Base-Metalwork, 1974, pp. 310-312, cat. no. 124 and 125, fig. 127. See also pp. 313-314, and 319-326, cat nos. 126, 130 and 131, figs. 128-134 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