A Fine German 25-Bore Wheel-Lock Belt Pistol (Puffer)

A Fine German 25-Bore Wheel-Lock Belt Pistol (Puffer) Dated 1588, Probably Thuringian With two-stage barrel swamped towards the muzzle and cut with lines at the turned girdle, octagonal breech dated along the top flat between punched stars and with brass-lined maker's mark, 'I.H' above a fleur-de-lys (similar to Neue Støckel 3341 and 7623), a chiselled waved line at the rear, plain tang incised with a central line, bright flat lock retained by two screws engaging with the belt-hook plate, enclosed wheel, safety-catch acting against an external spring, sprung sliding pan-cover with release button, and early form of cock acting against an internal spring, fruitwood full stock profusely inlaid with finely engraved white staghorn or bone birds including an owl and a cock treading a hen, animals including squirrels, two hares on the side-plate, one riding a hound and blowing a bugle, and a hound pursuing two stags and a hind around the ball pommel, all against a ground of tightly interlaced engraved scrolls and foliage within roped line borders followed by wider borders variously engraved with overlapping leaves and foliated strapwork, some involving female masks, panels flanking the tang, either side of the ramrod-entry, fore-end cap and fore- and aft of the lock all engraved en suite, the panel in front of the lock incised with initials 'LB' along the top, probably the stock maker's initials, tapering belt-hook with central turn, trigger-guard with incised line, ramrod, probably original with foliate engraved horn tip, and in fine condition 33 cm. barrel Footnotes: Provenance Sotheby's Olympia, London, Antique Arms, Armour & Militaria, 26 June 2003, lot 306 This pistol belongs to a group of wheel-lock firearms attributed to the stockmaker Klaus Hirt of Wasungen, Thuringia on the basis of a wheel-lock gun in the Historichen Museum, Bern. See Dr. Rudolph Wegeli, Inventor de Waffensammlung des Bernischen Historischen Museums in Bern, Vol. IV, Fernwaffen, 1984, no. 2223 Cf. a very similar pistol dated 1587, Sotheby's London, The Visser Collection, Fine, Rare and Important Arms, Part I, 3 July 1990, lot 192 This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing