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Nicolas Noël BOUTET

PROPERTY FROM THE DESCENDANT FAMILY OF DON JOSÉ DE LA SERNA, CONDE DE LOS ANDRES, VICEROY OF PERU (1770-1832).

A FINE AND RARE CASED PAIR OF 28 BORE FRENCH SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK PISTOLS OF PRESENTATION QUALITY BY BOUTET, DIRECTEUR ARTISTE, MANUFACTURE A VERSAILLES, CIRCA 1802

With lightly swamped octagonal sighted multi-groove rifled barrels decorated along their length with a finely matted pattern sown with minute stars.

Signed within a lozenge shaped framework of gilt pellets, decorated in gold with bands filled with contrasting matted and plain triangular panels at the muzzle.

The flats bordered by gilt ropework, and a shaped panel filled with a garland surmounted by scrolls and foliage over the breech (the barrels previously blued and now oxidised brown).

Fitted with standing back-sight and struck with three gold-lined marks over the breech, in three shaped recesses the letters 'NB', 'LC' and 'BC' (the first two Neue Støckel 95 and 3741 respectively).

Stamped with the letters 'DB' between a pair of fronds beneath, platinum-lined vents over gold (an early working modification).

Engraved burnished steel tangs decorated with swags, fronds and foliage.

Signed locks with fluted borders, formed with stepped tails bordered by a beadwork frame, fitted with detents, matching cocks, set triggers.

Figured walnut full stocks, inlaid with engraved silver wire, pellets and panels decorated with neoclassical foliage within a linear framework over the fore-ends, a shell pattern about the rear ramrod-pipes.

Characteristic butts inlaid on each face with an Imperial eagle dividing a pair monstrous hounds based on Orthrus, breathing fire from one mouth and clenching a garland of flowers in the other all within a matching linear frame.

The spines inset with a long shaped silver panel decorated with foliage.

Full silver mounts cast and chased in low relief, comprising trigger-guards with finials formed as a neo-classical trophy-of-arms and with the Nemean lion's pelt about a club on the bows.

Butts inset with a crowned classical helm bordered by foliage within a framework of rounded nails.

Rear ramrod-pipe formed of a chequered shield and a garland of flowers all impaled by a neo-classical sword, three further moulded ramrod-pipes decorated with delicate beadwork on the high points

Engraved silver side nail washers decorated with flowers enclosed within a linear frame of silver wire, engraved burnished steel trigger-plates, knurled steel barrel bolts, and original ramrods.

In an early brass-bound rosewood veneered fitted case lined in green baize (the case a very early association, the lining faded, areas of wear), the lid with vacant shield-shaped escutcheon, fitted with a pair of flush-fitting carrying handles on each side, complete with a number of contemporary accessories including brass-mounted horn flask, steel mainspring clamp and bullet mould, turnscrew, and cleaning rods.

26.8 cm; 10 ½ in barrels Provenance Don Jose de la Serna, Conde de los Andres, Viceroy of Peru by descent to Eugenia de la Rocha y Fontecilla, Marquesa de Angulo great grandmother of the present owner Don José de La Serna, Conde de los Andres, played a prominent role in the War of Spanish Independence where his performance against the French earned him a promotion to lieutenant general. In 1815 he was sent to the American colonies as commanding general of the army of Upper Peru where he was appointed Viceroy of Peru in 1821, a post he held until 1824. The correspondence files of the Ministry for Foreign Relations includes an entry for a pair of embellished Versailles pistols from the First Consul in 1802 to Mariano Luis d'Urquijo, Spanish first minister for Foreign Affairs at the beginning of the 19th century. The d'Urquijo pair remain unknown and it has been suggested that they might be the present pair, having been later presented by the Spanish First Minister to the Viceroy of Peru. This theory is strengthened by the following entry for a number of pieces for the Ministry in the Annuaire of the Versailles Manufactory for AN X, or 1802:

Ministre du Relations Extérieur Pistolets gros calibre a secret, arg. gravé riche, fr. 2.400 Nécess. acajou, pistol. arg. gravé, chaînette, roulet. damasq., fr. 1.200 Nécess. acajou, pistolets de combat, argent, cis. 1er modèle, riche, placage arg. damasq., bassinets or, fr. 3.000 Service: 2 fusils doubles forestiers

A related pair of pistols, with similarly decorated barrels, trigger-guards and ramrod-pipes, are preserved in the Wallace Collection, nos. A1219 and A1220. The number of ramrod-pipes on both pairs of pistols is unusual for Boutet. The use of platinum is probably a very early modification, perhaps added at the same time as the pistols were fitted into the present case. The anti-corrosion properties of platinum were well known by 1800 and it was used to line shotgun barrels by Jean LePage circa 1819. Nicolas-Noël Boutet (1761-1833) the distinguished maker of armes de luxe inherited the position of gunmaker to Louis XIV from his father-in-law, Pierre de Sainte (active 1747-88). In 1792 he became technical Director at the new Versailles Manufactory and in 1800 rose to Directeur Artiste with overall control. He held this position until the closure of the manufactory in 1818. Boutet died fifteen years later in poverty, his career having survived six French Political regimes.