A Very Rare English 25-Bore Snaphaunce Pistol Late 16th/Early 17th Century With two-stage barrel of slight hog's back form to the bulbous muzzle and with three turned girdles, the two forward of the octagonal breech with remains of brass overlay, notched back-sight, plain tang, flat lock retained by three replacement screws, beaked tail, flat cock and steel, the former with buffer secured by a screw, pan with sliding cover and circular fence, the latter with traces of silvering, full stock (split in front of the lock) with rounded pommel and traces of incised decoration, later iron trigger-guard and trigger, and iron ramrod with notched tip (iron parts with old pitting) 34.5 cm. barrel Footnotes: Provenance Geoffrey Jenkinson Exhibited Sotheby's London, exhibition catalogue, English Silver Treasures From The Kremlin, A Loan Exhibition, 1-28 January 1991, pp. 86-87, no. 58 (illustrated in colour) Literature Ian Eaves, 'Some Notes and Further Notes on the Pistol in Early 17th Century England', J.A.A.S., Vol. VI, No. 10 (June 1970) and Vol. VIII, No. 4 (December 1975), pp. 269-329, pls. CIII and CIV Believed to be the earliest surviving English Snaphaunce pistol For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing