May 28 & 29, 2020 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/28/2020
Highly attractive pair of percussion pistols made by Franz Ulrich, the noted director of the Oberndorf arms factory (from which he was suspended in 1820 as a part of managerial irregularities) and the Armory of Ludwigsburg before being released from public service in 1823, at which point he opened his own shop in Stuttgart, at 57 Eberhardstr. Both barrels have browned Damascus twist barrels with dovetailed German nickel silver front sights, signed across top flat "F. Ulrich in Stuttgart". Rifled barrels with silver inlaid "F. Ulrich in Stuttgart". Smoothbore barrels with script "D" on bottoms of breeches and barrels, dots denoting barrel number (one and two dots), and truing strike. Rifled barrels also with dot numbers, truing strike; one with Belgian ELG proof. Barrels have another unidentified hallmark in brown. Hooked patent breeches with golden filled hallmarks including a "240" in oval and face (Medusa?) in diamond. Ulrich patent hammer safety. Locks retained by single screw. Lock plate engraved with "F. Ulrich", florals, and border engraving. Fish form hammers engraved throughout with Ulrich's sliding hammer catch safety. Trigger guards with folding spurs and acorn finial, long tang not quite reaching to butt cap. Single set triggers. Walnut stocks retained by a single key with ebony escutcheons, ebony forearm tips. Checkered at grip in attractive wave pattern. Flared butts with urn motif, left side with vacant silver shield with gold border trim. Cased in an attractive French fitted case with accessories comprising a small ebony funnel, aluminum box labelled "Ohl & Pflaster" (Trans: Oil and Patches), fire blued combination tool, sprue cutter with integral sprue cutter, horn powder flask, powder funnel with ivory screw stopper, loading rammer, and cleaning rod with jag. Three additional compartments, one empty, one with solitary lead ball. French Ulrich trade label in lid. CONDITION: Very fine, retaining virtually all of their finishes. Barrels with almost all of their browning with a couple light marks, one rifle barrel with a few nicks from rubbing in case. One horn escutcheon repaired and missing a small sliver of wood. Locks, hammer, guards with plenty of color some fading. Tangs more heavily faded, triggers essentially silver. Breeches retain much of their color. Stocks are excellent with a few minor marks in wood from handling. Both buttcaps with chip missing near buttcap decoration. Bores are excellent, bright and shiny; rifled bores with sharp well defined rifling. Mechanics are crisp. Case is fine with a few cracks and some rubbing through finish. Lining is excellent with some pressure in top lid from items. Accessories otherwise excellent; complete. Combination tool with plenty of fire blue and bullet mold with somewhat subdued case coloring still visible. An absolutely phenomenal set of pistols. EW
CORRECTION: It has been brought to our attention that the Belgian proofed barrel has Ulrich's address in Stuttgart spelled as Suttgart, making it a likely Belgian replacement.
Accessories
Case with Accessories
Caliber/Bore
(Both) .45 Rifled