Fatou A Paris, Steel Brass & Inlay 9" Flintlock Dueling Pistol Cased Pair, MFD 18th-19th Century Antique .65 Caliber

More Sold Fine European Arms

SOLD FOR: $1,595.00
LSB#: 180330GT15, 180330GT16

Make: Fatou A Paris

Model: Flintlock Dueling Pistol Set

Serial Number: None

Year of Manufacture: Late 18th to early 19th century

Caliber: Approximately .65 Caliber Ball

Action Type: Single-Shot Flintlock Pistols

Markings: The top of each barrel is marked “Fatou a Paris”, each sidelock is marked “Fatou / a Paris”

Barrel Length: The half octagon, half round barrels are 9” in length.

Sights / Optics: None.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are one-piece wood with decorative carving, brass sideplates, thumbplates, pommel caps, trigger guards and ramrod ferrules and decorative wire and bead inlays of an unknown, non-ferrous metal.

180330GT15: The stock has a small loss on the top-right edge at the front, scattered light compressions and handling marks. Some of the inlaid wire is starting to come loose in a couple of locations (take care in handling as these can catch your skin). There are no major losses and no cracks. The grip is in about Good-Very Good condition as Antique.

180330GT16: The stock has a crack at the front edge on the right, a small loss on the top-left edge toward the front and scattered light compressions and handling marks. Some of the inlaid wire is starting to come loose in a couple of locations (take care in handling as these can catch your skin) and the right tang of the pommel cap is also loose (and can also catch your skin). There are no major losses and no cracks not described. The grip is in about Good condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: The barrels and lockplates are unfinished steel, the other fixtures brass with inlaid metal wire and bead decorations.

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bores are dark. There is light to moderate erosion throughout both bores.

Overall Condition:

180330GT15: This pistol retains approximately 55% of its metal finish. The barrel and lockplate have scattered discoloration from oxidation with a moderate patina in the flash pan and the bottom of the frizzen. The brass has little tarnish with scattered light marks, mostly in the rear sideplate and the thumbplate. The screw heads are lightly disfigured with strong slots except for the rear sideplate screw which has a shallow slot. The forward sideplate screw appears to have been polished and/or replaced. Overall, this pistol is in about Good-plus condition as Antique.

180330GT16: This pistol retains approximately 58% of its metal finish. The barrel and lockplate have scattered light discoloration from oxidation with a light patina in the flash pan and the bottom of the frizzen. The brass has little tarnish with scattered light marks, mostly in the rear sideplate and the thumbplate. The screw heads are lightly disfigured with strong slots. The forward sideplate screw appears to have been polished and/or replaced. Overall, this pistol is in about Good-Very Good condition as Antique.

Mechanics: The actions function correctly. We have not fired these pistols. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pair of pistols comes in a wooden case with hinged lid, red felt and red satin interior and four “legs”. The front face of the case has two brass handles and a faux-lockplate. The interior has light wear with a series of punctures in the bottom surface and the right panel is loos, held in place by the satin lining. The exterior of the case has scattered light marks and wear at the edges with only a few marks in the faces and some tiny losses at corners. The case is in about Good condition overall.

Our Assessment: Before the self-contained cartridge there were various methods of igniting a powder charge in a firearm. The earliest examples were primitive indeed, simply applying a burning stick or rope to the flash-pan or lighting a fuse which dropped down into the chamber. Between these primitive mechanisms and the percussion cap, the flintlock reigned supreme. With a piece of flint held in the cock and struck against the frizzen upon firing, a spark would (hopefully) drop into the flash pan and ignite the main charge. During the reign of the flintlock, it was also common for civilized men to go out into a field and shoot at each other to settle disputes or avenge insults, making it common among the nobility to have a pair of pistols for just this task. These pistols were made by Fatou in Paris, France sometime in the 18th or early 19th century. Our research didn’t reveal much about Fatou except that he as a gun and bladesmith who also dealt in arms, famous enough to have made a fowling piece for none other than Napoleon Bonaparte! This pair was painstakingly decorated with inlaid wire and bead decorations and they would make a nice conversation piece, decoration or addition to a collection of flintlock arms. Please see our photos and good luck!

CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: These flintlock pistols can be sold to California residents.