Vincent & Fils
CASED GARNITURE OF ARMS. The 41-1/4” x 17-3/4” x 4-1/4” wood case contains a shotgun and a pair of pistols by Vincent & Sons of Perigueux, two swords, two powder flasks, and various tools. There are also six empty covered compartments.
These are all presentation grade items, but no name appears on the case or any of the items in the case. The shotgun is 16 gauge, 36-3/8” barrels are made of top grade Damascus steel with contrasting ribbons of straight grain and whorled patterns.
There are Belgian proofs on the bottom, but no maker’s marks. The right lockplate is inlaid in gold with “VINCENT & FILS” within an oval border which is inlaid with silver. The left lockplate is inlaid in gold “A PERIGUEUX” within a similar silver-inlaid oval.
The stock is carved instead of chequered with a modified fish scale pattern on both the grip and forearm. There is relief carved floral scrolling at the rear of the pistol grip, extending on to the bottom of the stock. The wood appears to be a burl walnut.
The German silver fittings are all engraved with a shell top patchbox inlet into the left side of the stock behind the cheekpiece. The pistols are similarly marked and mounted with the name on one pistol and the town on the other engraved on the locks, but not gold inlaid. German silver fittings with similar clamshell patchbox are in the butt of each. They are .56 Cal. microgroove rifling, 7” octagonal barrels.
Ramrods have ivory tips and cleaning jags on the other end.
The court sword has a 29-5/8” triangular fluted blade with floral designs etched on all three sides, but no maker’s mark. The gilt bronze hilt has a crowned eagle with lightning bolts on the counterguard and bees on the pommel. The hilt is mother-of-pearl. The scabbard has similarly decorated gilt bronze throat and drag. The sabre has a 29-3/4” double fuller blade that is etched for most of its length in scrolls, vines, and military motifs. The hilt has a simple decoration. The grip is leather, bound by three rows of copper wire. The gold portapee has a black cord. The leather scabbard has plain brass throat and drag.
The top of the lid has wood of a different grain and colour from that on the body of the case. The interior is lined with hunter green felt. It contains, besides the items above, a large French pushbutton shotgun flask featuring Diana and a deer. A pistol flask, 3-3/8” long, has a checkerboard pattern with flowers in the boxes and leaves around the top. Other items include a turned wood cap box, a brass oil bottle, a cleaning rod with loading tip for the pistols, a longer 2-pc rod for the shotgun, an iron mold for casting various sizes of buckshot, a patch cutter, a combination screwdriver/nipple wrench, a cleaning brush for the shotgun, a cleaning brush for the pistols, a loading mallet, a bullet mold for the pistols, and a key which works the lock.
According to Jarlier
Vincent & Fils: Arms manufacturer in Périgueux (Dordogne) in 1845.
