GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
MAGNIFICENT CASED PAIR OF DREYSE NEEDLEFIRE UNDERLEVER DUELLING PATTERN PISTOLS.DREYSENEEDLEFIRE21372, 213749.5MMCal. 9.5mm. Superb pair of matching, nearly new Dreyse needlefire pistols with 7.5" bbls and an overall length of 14.25" The front sight is drift adjustable; screw fixation allows the rear sight to be more precisely adjusted. The top of the barrel is marked "F.v. DREYSE SOMMERDA". A light scroll adorns the receiver behind the sight, the backstrap, the grip cap, the underlever and trigger guard. The bbl and receiver are blued. The other metal parts were generally left in the white, or possibly case hardened, for their tone is a very attractive and uniform grey, that highlights the engraving. In keeping with the high-art profile of these guns, every screw head has been engraved. The screw securing the underlever anchor in the forend is fire blued, as is the flat spring on the right side of the barrel and the lanyard at the base of each grip cap. The extractor, mounted on the left side of the barrel, is strawed. To open the breech, the underlever is disengaged from its retaining station and rotated counter clockwise. This action moves the barrel forward, while keeping the extractor in place, cocks the firing pin, then swings the barrel counterclockwise to expose the chamber. On the metal projection in the forend, now uncovered by the bbl, is marked "Med :Patr/ 9.5mm2/24 Pulv." Opened in this manner, a matching serial number is evident under the barrel, just beyond the forend, and repeated on the inner surface of the underlever. To remove the color case hardened bolt, one simply needs to depress the checkered spring at its rear and retract, pulling the trigger to free the bolt from the receiver. As expected, wear to this area is negligible. The guns are finished with densely grained walnut stocks, finely checkered in a broad area on each side of the grip. The pair of guns come in a nicely fitted oak case, with a brass handle in the center of the lid, brass fittings, that is secured with a centrally keyed lock. The case is lined with dark green felt and compartmentalized for the pair of pistols, and an equally ornate brass tipped cleaning rod. There are also two smaller lidded compartments. One holds some cleaning cloths, the other a pair of oil droppers. PROVENANCE: Dr. Geoffrey Sturgess Collection. CONDITION: The pair of pistols is truly superb. #21372 has a small pressure dent on the left side of the stock above the trigger and two similar size dents on the right side: one above the trigger, the other near the front of the forend. A few diamonds are missing from the right side of the checkering. #21374 has some minor spotting of the fire blued bbl spring and a few scattered handling dings. Neither gun has any appreciable use-related wear. Bores are mirror-bright with sharp rifling. Comparable condition cleaning rod. The lid of the case has a longitudinal crack that runs near the center but does not affect its utility. A second crack, 4" long, runs along the back on the right side. The felt is well kept, showing only a few scuffs at the usual pressure points and minimal staining. Overall, a stunning set of early Dreyse, needlefire, underlever pistols. 43475-124 LMA111 (7,500-12,500)