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Count Taffee's Pistol
[Text discription below]
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70018
A Fine Austrian, 32-Bore, Silver-Mounted Flintlock Holster Pistol, Once Belonging To Lieutenant General Count Nicholas Taaffe:
Austrian ca. 1738. 32 bore (13.36 mm) 0.525 cal. An Austrian, flintlock holster pistol signed on the lock plate “Ioseph Stockl A Neustat”. This was Gunsmith Joseph Stockl (w 1730-1770) in Wiener Neustadt, i.e. Vienna Newtown, a city located southeast of Vienna, Austria (7). This fine flintlock pistol was built with a 28.8 cm. blued, three-stage barrel in the Spanish taste with turned girdle at the midsection. Octagonal at the breech and becoming polygonal at the muzzle. Inlaid, silver, spider foresight. Two brass lined makers mark poincons along the top flat, and flanking fleur-de-lys marks, all originally gilt. One poincon with the barrelsmith mark of Joseph Stockl; i.e. I O: Steckl. Gold lined touch hole. Engraved steel tang with the number “1” also incorporating the back sight. Signed, foliate engraved, rounded lock plate with fluted border and internal steel spring. Finely figured Europian walnut full stock, carved in relief with rocailles and foliage behind the rear ramrod pipe and around the barrel tang. Full, lavish silver mounts engraved with foliage. Large, border engraved spurred pommel of shaped outline with domed foliate cap. Trigger guard with foliate finial. Border engraved and faceted silver ramrod pipes. Original hardwood ramrod with engraved silver fore-end cap en-suite. Crown shaped silver wrist escutcheon engraved with the arms of Graf Nicholas Taaffe, sixth Viscount Taaffe and Baron of Ballymote. Condition: Fine to excellent original condition throughout. The barrel retains most of its original bluing. Bright, shiny bore. Strong main-spring pressure, and crisp mechanics. The pistol has exceptionally good balance. It comes up nicely, and is suprisingly light weight. The stock is excellent with only very light handling wear overall. The cock and lock plate are polished bright in the Europian fashion, which has taken on a gunmetal-like patina over the centuries. An early 18th century flintlock with great provenance, and in excellent condition. Discussion: Dating of the pistol is likely 1738-1740 because the silver wrist escutcheon indicates an Irish Viscount, a title he did not succeed to until 1738.
In addition to his rank of General Field Marshal he was Chamberlain to Emperor Charles VI of Austria and known as the Victor of Belgrade.
TAAFFE, NICHOLAS, sixth VISCOUNT TAAFFE (1677–1769), lieutenant-general in the Austrian army, was the son of Francis Taaffe (grandson of John, first viscount) by Anne, daughter of John Crean of O’Crean’s Castle, co. Sligo. He was born at O’Crean’s Castle in 1677, but, his family having attached themselves to James II, was educated in Lorraine. He was made chancellor to Duke Leopold, whose son married Maria Theresa and became the Emperor Francis I. Passing into the Austrian service, in 1726 he was in command of a squadron of Count Hautois’s regiment. In October 1729 he became lieutenant-colonel of it, and on 3 Jan. 1732 he was made colonel of the Lanthieri cuirassiers. He served with this regiment against the French in the war of the Polish succession (1734–5), and against the Turks in the war of 1737–9. He covered the retreat of part of the army in November 1737, and again in September 1738. On 11 Feb. 1739 he was promoted major-general (general-feldwachtmeister). He was given the command of a brigade in the main army under Wallis, and distinguished himself in the operations around Belgrade. He was promoted to lieutenant-general (feldmarschall-lieutenant) on 2 July 1752. On 30 Oct. 1729 he had married Maria Anna (d. 1769), daughter and heiress of Count Spindler of Lintz, and he was himself afterwards made a count of the empire. By the death of his second cousin, Theobald, fourth earl of Carlingford, in 1738, he succeeded to the title of Viscount Taaffe in the peerage of Ireland [see under TAAFFE, FRANCIS, fourth VISCOUNT and third EARL OF CARLINGFORD]. His claim to the Irish estates was disputed by Robert Sutton, who was descended from the only daughter of Theobald Taaffe, first earl of Carlingford [q. v.], and who took advantage of the penal laws which enabled protestants to supersede catholic heirs. It was ultimately agreed (and confirmed by 15 Geo. II, c. 49) that the estates should be sold, and that Taaffe should receive one-third, Sutton two-thirds, of the purchase-money. They were bought by John Petty Fitzmaurice (afterwards Earl of Shelburne).Taaffe was present at the battle of Kolin (18 June 1757), and helped to rally the heavy cavalry of the Austrian right wing, though he was at that time eighty years of age. In 1763 he conferred a lasting benefit on the people of Silesia, where he had a large estate, by introducing the potato culture. In 1766 he published (in Dublin and London) ‘Observations on Affairs in Ireland from the Settlement in 1691 to the Present Time.’ This was a moderate and dignified plea against the penal laws, with, which he contrasted the tolerant policy of William III and of the German sovereigns. In a petition to the empress not long afterwards he mentioned that he had voluntarily exiled himself from his own country lest these penal laws should tempt his descendants to turn protestants. He died at the castle of Ellischau in Bohemia on 30 Dec. 1769. He had two sons, of whom the eldest died before him, and he was succeeded by his grandson Rudolph, grandfather of the late president of the Austrian ministry (8). Curator's Footnote: • Pistols of this type were usually produced in pairs. The number on the present pistol is no. 1. Sometime in the distant past, it has become separated from its counterpart, no. 2. In the early days of collecting firearms, it was common for collectors to exchange one of the weapons in a pair, to obtain an example of each. Also, it was well known that in families with two siblings, a pair would sometimes be split between each of the decendents. Not withstanding, the pistol may have been lost or destroyed in battle. So far, the location of pistol no. 2 remains elusive. Research is on-going in the hope that the pair can at some point be re-united. Bibliography:
1. The mezzotint print of Count Taffee is after the original painting by Robert Hunter (fl. 1752-1803) now in the National Library of Ireland. In-house number: PA2124A. Call number: EP TAAF-NI (1A). See: [http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000189419].
2. Melville Henry Massue Ruvigny Et Raineval (1914). The Titled Nobility of Europe .
3. Taaffe, Karl Graff (1856) Memoirs of The Family Taaffe . Vienna, Wurzbach's Biograph.
4. Lloyd, Ernst Marsh Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900. See: [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Taaffe,_Nicholas_(DNB00)].
5. A Compendium of Irish Biography, (1878). See: [http://www.libraryireland.com/biography/ViscountNicholasTaaffe.php].
6. Online databases: a.) [http://www.pgil-eirdata.org/html/pgil_datasets/t/Taaffe,N/life.htm]
b.) [http://www.ireference.ca/search/Nicholas%20Taaffe,%206th%20Viscount%20Taaffe/]
c.) [http://www.thepeerage.com/p47094.htm]
d.) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Taaffe,_6th_Viscount_Taaffe]
7. Heer, Eugene (1978). Der Neue Stockel; Vol 2, p. 1215. Journal Verlag Schwend GmbH; Schwabisch Hall.
8. Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich, pt. xlii. p. 311; Notes and Queries, 5th ser. ii. 425; Herald and Genealogist, iii. 471; Lodge (1789) Peerage of Ireland, ed. Archdall.
Austrian ca. 1738. 32 bore (13.36 mm) 0.525 cal. An Austrian, flintlock holster pistol signed on the lock plate “Ioseph Stockl A Neustat”. This was Gunsmith Joseph Stockl (w 1730-1770) in Wiener Neustadt, i.e. Vienna Newtown, a city located southeast of Vienna, Austria (7). This fine flintlock pistol was built with a 28.8 cm. blued, three-stage barrel in the Spanish taste with turned girdle at the midsection. Octagonal at the breech and becoming polygonal at the muzzle. Inlaid, silver, spider foresight. Two brass lined makers mark poincons along the top flat, and flanking fleur-de-lys marks, all originally gilt. One poincon with the barrelsmith mark of Joseph Stockl; i.e. I O: Steckl. Gold lined touch hole. Engraved steel tang with the number “1” also incorporating the back sight. Signed, foliate engraved, rounded lock plate with fluted border and internal steel spring. Finely figured Europian walnut full stock, carved in relief with rocailles and foliage behind the rear ramrod pipe and around the barrel tang. Full, lavish silver mounts engraved with foliage. Large, border engraved spurred pommel of shaped outline with domed foliate cap. Trigger guard with foliate finial. Border engraved and faceted silver ramrod pipes. Original hardwood ramrod with engraved silver fore-end cap en-suite. Crown shaped silver wrist escutcheon engraved with the arms of Graf Nicholas Taaffe, sixth Viscount Taaffe and Baron of Ballymote. Condition: Fine to excellent original condition throughout. The barrel retains most of its original bluing. Bright, shiny bore. Strong main-spring pressure, and crisp mechanics. The pistol has exceptionally good balance. It comes up nicely, and is suprisingly light weight. The stock is excellent with only very light handling wear overall. The cock and lock plate are polished bright in the Europian fashion, which has taken on a gunmetal-like patina over the centuries. An early 18th century flintlock with great provenance, and in excellent condition. Discussion: Dating of the pistol is likely 1738-1740 because the silver wrist escutcheon indicates an Irish Viscount, a title he did not succeed to until 1738.
In addition to his rank of General Field Marshal he was Chamberlain to Emperor Charles VI of Austria and known as the Victor of Belgrade.
TAAFFE, NICHOLAS, sixth VISCOUNT TAAFFE (1677–1769), lieutenant-general in the Austrian army, was the son of Francis Taaffe (grandson of John, first viscount) by Anne, daughter of John Crean of O’Crean’s Castle, co. Sligo. He was born at O’Crean’s Castle in 1677, but, his family having attached themselves to James II, was educated in Lorraine. He was made chancellor to Duke Leopold, whose son married Maria Theresa and became the Emperor Francis I. Passing into the Austrian service, in 1726 he was in command of a squadron of Count Hautois’s regiment. In October 1729 he became lieutenant-colonel of it, and on 3 Jan. 1732 he was made colonel of the Lanthieri cuirassiers. He served with this regiment against the French in the war of the Polish succession (1734–5), and against the Turks in the war of 1737–9. He covered the retreat of part of the army in November 1737, and again in September 1738. On 11 Feb. 1739 he was promoted major-general (general-feldwachtmeister). He was given the command of a brigade in the main army under Wallis, and distinguished himself in the operations around Belgrade. He was promoted to lieutenant-general (feldmarschall-lieutenant) on 2 July 1752. On 30 Oct. 1729 he had married Maria Anna (d. 1769), daughter and heiress of Count Spindler of Lintz, and he was himself afterwards made a count of the empire. By the death of his second cousin, Theobald, fourth earl of Carlingford, in 1738, he succeeded to the title of Viscount Taaffe in the peerage of Ireland [see under TAAFFE, FRANCIS, fourth VISCOUNT and third EARL OF CARLINGFORD]. His claim to the Irish estates was disputed by Robert Sutton, who was descended from the only daughter of Theobald Taaffe, first earl of Carlingford [q. v.], and who took advantage of the penal laws which enabled protestants to supersede catholic heirs. It was ultimately agreed (and confirmed by 15 Geo. II, c. 49) that the estates should be sold, and that Taaffe should receive one-third, Sutton two-thirds, of the purchase-money. They were bought by John Petty Fitzmaurice (afterwards Earl of Shelburne).Taaffe was present at the battle of Kolin (18 June 1757), and helped to rally the heavy cavalry of the Austrian right wing, though he was at that time eighty years of age. In 1763 he conferred a lasting benefit on the people of Silesia, where he had a large estate, by introducing the potato culture. In 1766 he published (in Dublin and London) ‘Observations on Affairs in Ireland from the Settlement in 1691 to the Present Time.’ This was a moderate and dignified plea against the penal laws, with, which he contrasted the tolerant policy of William III and of the German sovereigns. In a petition to the empress not long afterwards he mentioned that he had voluntarily exiled himself from his own country lest these penal laws should tempt his descendants to turn protestants. He died at the castle of Ellischau in Bohemia on 30 Dec. 1769. He had two sons, of whom the eldest died before him, and he was succeeded by his grandson Rudolph, grandfather of the late president of the Austrian ministry (8). Curator's Footnote: • Pistols of this type were usually produced in pairs. The number on the present pistol is no. 1. Sometime in the distant past, it has become separated from its counterpart, no. 2. In the early days of collecting firearms, it was common for collectors to exchange one of the weapons in a pair, to obtain an example of each. Also, it was well known that in families with two siblings, a pair would sometimes be split between each of the decendents. Not withstanding, the pistol may have been lost or destroyed in battle. So far, the location of pistol no. 2 remains elusive. Research is on-going in the hope that the pair can at some point be re-united. Bibliography:
1. The mezzotint print of Count Taffee is after the original painting by Robert Hunter (fl. 1752-1803) now in the National Library of Ireland. In-house number: PA2124A. Call number: EP TAAF-NI (1A). See: [http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000189419].
2. Melville Henry Massue Ruvigny Et Raineval (1914). The Titled Nobility of Europe .
3. Taaffe, Karl Graff (1856) Memoirs of The Family Taaffe . Vienna, Wurzbach's Biograph.
4. Lloyd, Ernst Marsh Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900. See: [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Taaffe,_Nicholas_(DNB00)].
5. A Compendium of Irish Biography, (1878). See: [http://www.libraryireland.com/biography/ViscountNicholasTaaffe.php].
6. Online databases: a.) [http://www.pgil-eirdata.org/html/pgil_datasets/t/Taaffe,N/life.htm]
b.) [http://www.ireference.ca/search/Nicholas%20Taaffe,%206th%20Viscount%20Taaffe/]
c.) [http://www.thepeerage.com/p47094.htm]
d.) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Taaffe,_6th_Viscount_Taaffe]
7. Heer, Eugene (1978). Der Neue Stockel; Vol 2, p. 1215. Journal Verlag Schwend GmbH; Schwabisch Hall.
8. Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich, pt. xlii. p. 311; Notes and Queries, 5th ser. ii. 425; Herald and Genealogist, iii. 471; Lodge (1789) Peerage of Ireland, ed. Archdall.
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Fig. 1: Silver wrist escutcheon. The upper coronet is that of an Austrian Count, and the lower that of an Irish Viscount.
Fig. 2: Taffee Coat of Arms
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