Durs Egg Cased Flintlock Officer's Pistols
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A Fine Pair of English, Flintlock Officer's Pistols by Durs Egg:
English: 1799. 22 Bore; (15.13 mm) 0.596 cal. Each pistol with a slightly swamped, browned, twist octagonal barrel (20.4 cm) signed in gold inlay on the top flat: D. Egg London. Silver fore-sights and two gold lines at the breach. Gold-lined touch holes and gold-lined pans. Finely engraved case hardened tangs. Signed, engraved, case hardened beveled locks each with stepped tail. Original blued finish on the internal working parts. Engraved safety bolts. Semi rainproof pans. Anti-friction roller frizzens with blued steel springs. Finely figured walnut full stocks, checkered rounded butts with engraved pommel caps. Finely engraved iron mounts. Trigger guards designed in the French taste. Blued triggers and case hardened trigger plates. Horn fore-end caps, and original horn-tipped ramrods, one with worm, and much of their original finish. London proof marks. The pistols are contained within their original green baize lined and fitted mahogany case with accessories including the original iron cleaning rod and three-way powder flask covered in red leather. The correct size pincer bullet mould of “24,” and corresponding cast lead balls, and an original, very rare, bail of patches. The inside of the lid still with the original maker’s trade label of Durs Egg for 1786-1805; “Corner of Coventry Street, Hay Market” (1). The exterior of the lid with a flush-fitting brass carrying handle, which according to Neal and Back, is a case for duelling pistols, and is datable to ca. 1790. Cf. reference 1, p. 6; plate 13. Historical: Durs Egg was the son of Leonz Egg of Oberbuchsiten, Switzerland. He was born in 1748 and following a short stay in Paris, came to London and worked for gunsmith John Twigg in 1772. He was granted denization in 1791 and is recognized as one of the greatest London gunmakers. He was gunmaker to George IV and the Duke of York, and was granted various patents during the course of his long and distinguished career. Examples of his work are preserved in the Royal Collection, Windsor Castle, and many other public and private collections. For full details of the Egg family, please see the Claude Blair reference below (2,4). Condition: The condition is extremely fine throughout, near new. Very well cared for and preserved in their original case. The accessories appear original to the set. Bright, reflective bores. Crisp mechanics. Original English browning on the pistol barrels. These pistols have gold signatures, gold lines, gold touch holes and gold lined pans, all indicating exceptional quality. Fine craftsmanship throughout. A fine tour-de-force typical of the Egg workshop. Worthy of an exhibition, and spectacular in their feel and quality. Provenance: Bonhams Knightsbridge. Sale 17948; Lot: 436; 24 NOV 2010 “The DHL Back Collection”
Christie’s London; Lot: 198; 6 MAR 1974. Anon. Sale to W. Keith Neal; (3,100 gns)
Christie’s Review of the Season 1974, p. 482.
Bibliography:
1. Neal, W. Keith & Back, D.H.L. (1980) British Gunmakers Their Trade Cards, Cases and Equipment. Compton Press. ISBN [0-900193 581]. p. 42, plate 114.
2. Heer, Eugene (1978) Der Neue Stockel; Vol 1, p.335. Journal Verlag Schwend GmbH; Schwabisch Hall.
3. The trade card of Durs Egg is reproduced here by permission from the British Museum for comparison purposes, and matches the original exactly. 4. Blair, Claude (1973) J.A.A.S. vol VII; The Egg Family, Part I and Part I (contd.) p. 266-299 and p. 305-353.
A Fine Pair of English, Flintlock Officer's Pistols by Durs Egg:
English: 1799. 22 Bore; (15.13 mm) 0.596 cal. Each pistol with a slightly swamped, browned, twist octagonal barrel (20.4 cm) signed in gold inlay on the top flat: D. Egg London. Silver fore-sights and two gold lines at the breach. Gold-lined touch holes and gold-lined pans. Finely engraved case hardened tangs. Signed, engraved, case hardened beveled locks each with stepped tail. Original blued finish on the internal working parts. Engraved safety bolts. Semi rainproof pans. Anti-friction roller frizzens with blued steel springs. Finely figured walnut full stocks, checkered rounded butts with engraved pommel caps. Finely engraved iron mounts. Trigger guards designed in the French taste. Blued triggers and case hardened trigger plates. Horn fore-end caps, and original horn-tipped ramrods, one with worm, and much of their original finish. London proof marks. The pistols are contained within their original green baize lined and fitted mahogany case with accessories including the original iron cleaning rod and three-way powder flask covered in red leather. The correct size pincer bullet mould of “24,” and corresponding cast lead balls, and an original, very rare, bail of patches. The inside of the lid still with the original maker’s trade label of Durs Egg for 1786-1805; “Corner of Coventry Street, Hay Market” (1). The exterior of the lid with a flush-fitting brass carrying handle, which according to Neal and Back, is a case for duelling pistols, and is datable to ca. 1790. Cf. reference 1, p. 6; plate 13. Historical: Durs Egg was the son of Leonz Egg of Oberbuchsiten, Switzerland. He was born in 1748 and following a short stay in Paris, came to London and worked for gunsmith John Twigg in 1772. He was granted denization in 1791 and is recognized as one of the greatest London gunmakers. He was gunmaker to George IV and the Duke of York, and was granted various patents during the course of his long and distinguished career. Examples of his work are preserved in the Royal Collection, Windsor Castle, and many other public and private collections. For full details of the Egg family, please see the Claude Blair reference below (2,4). Condition: The condition is extremely fine throughout, near new. Very well cared for and preserved in their original case. The accessories appear original to the set. Bright, reflective bores. Crisp mechanics. Original English browning on the pistol barrels. These pistols have gold signatures, gold lines, gold touch holes and gold lined pans, all indicating exceptional quality. Fine craftsmanship throughout. A fine tour-de-force typical of the Egg workshop. Worthy of an exhibition, and spectacular in their feel and quality. Provenance: Bonhams Knightsbridge. Sale 17948; Lot: 436; 24 NOV 2010 “The DHL Back Collection”
Christie’s London; Lot: 198; 6 MAR 1974. Anon. Sale to W. Keith Neal; (3,100 gns)
Christie’s Review of the Season 1974, p. 482.
Bibliography:
1. Neal, W. Keith & Back, D.H.L. (1980) British Gunmakers Their Trade Cards, Cases and Equipment. Compton Press. ISBN [0-900193 581]. p. 42, plate 114.
2. Heer, Eugene (1978) Der Neue Stockel; Vol 1, p.335. Journal Verlag Schwend GmbH; Schwabisch Hall.
3. The trade card of Durs Egg is reproduced here by permission from the British Museum for comparison purposes, and matches the original exactly. 4. Blair, Claude (1973) J.A.A.S. vol VII; The Egg Family, Part I and Part I (contd.) p. 266-299 and p. 305-353.
Fig. 1: Trade Card of Durs Egg used between 1786-1805 (3).
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