CIRCA 1600

Details

An Extremely Rare 45-Bore Spanish (Ripoll) Wheel-Lock Belt Pistol (Pedrenyal)
Circa 1600
With 23¾in. (60.4cm.) two-stage barrel with octagonal breech section and iron back-sight (chipped), plain tang secured by a screw passing upwards from the trigger-guard, large border engraved bevelled lock retained by three side-nails and with curved engraved pivoting manually operated pan-cover and engraved cock with movable upper jaw and attached to a projection on the upper edge of the lock-plate (one pan-retaining screw missing), iron-mounted full stock (chipped, mounts incomplete) carved in low relief with strapwork and scrolling foliage, all on a punched ground, small 'fish-tail' pommel, iron belt hook, baluster trigger, pierced articulated iron trigger-guard with rudimentary spur, and later wooden ramrod (in worn condition, iron parts pitted, mainly the barrel)
31¼in. (79.4cm.)

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

The early form of Ripoll wheel-lock pistol, of which this is an example, is one of the rarest types of wheel-lock. Only nine others are known to have survived, of which only one (in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, inv. no. M. 487-1927) is dated (1614). The longest of them measures over 33in. (83.7cm.)

See James D. Lavin, A History of Spanish Firearms, pp. 220, 229-30; Eudaldo Graells, 'A Primer of Ripoll Gunlocks', Arms and Armor Annual, vol. 1, pp. 129-32; R. Martí, X. Sala, J.L. Calvó, Pistoles, Trabucs i Pedrenyals, pp. 16-17, and colour illustration (unnumbered)

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