December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
The corresponding pistol to the carbine with bayonet in the previous lot, with bright two-stage barrel of 20-bore, rounded lock with engraved maker’s names signed in capitals, grained (artificially figured to look like burlwood) full stock, the fore-end with old minor spit forward of the ramrod channel, with carved and raised apron around the barrel tang, brass mounts comprising flat scroll side-plate, shaped vacant escutcheon, rounded pommel, trigger-guard, and turned baluster ramrod-pipe, and replacement brass-capped wooden ramrod, and London proof marks and Delany's touchmark on the barrel near breech. Provenance: purchased by Thomas Gage (d. 1754) from Henry Delany to arm a troop of horse raised from among the local gentry around the time of the 1st Jacobite Rebellion of 1715. Thomas was the eldest son and heir of Joseph Gage of Shirburn Castle, Oxfordshire and the arms bear his family crest and initials. Gage was a notable Whig MP for Minehead between 1717 and 1721, and later for Tewkesbury between 1721 and 1754. In 1720 he was created Baron Gage of Castlebar, County Mayo and Viscount Gage of Castle Island, County Kerry. In 1744, on the death of his cousin Sir William Gage (1695-1744) 7th Baronet of Firle Park, Sussex he succeeded to the title of 8th Baronet and inherited the Firle Park estates. These 20 sets of dragoon firearms later formed part of a display in the Armoury Hall at Shirburn Castle (the seat of the Earls of Macclesfield since 1716 and previously owned by the Gage family), until the dispersal of the Armoury in 2003; the firearms thence to the Penrose Collection of 18th century British arms until sold earlier this year.