Exquisite North Italian (Brescia) Flintlock Pistol, ca. 1650

Description

This exceptional pistol represents the height of the gunmaker’s art at a time when all the
work was done by hand. It features a three-stage 15 3/8″ barrel of approximately .50
caliber, with central relief-carved Green Man face, the nose of which serves as a front sight;
the ribbed breech signed “”, the world’s premier barrel-making
family of the 17th C. Lock plate chiseled in relief with Green Man face at the rear and Leda
and the Swan forward of the hammer; the serpentine hammer chiseled in the round with
warrior holding a shield and sword; frizzen with Green Man face. Forward of the pan is a
small flat, signed “G. Bat./Frani Bcia” in script, for Giovanni Battista Francino (2nd?),
Brescia. Expertly restored figured root walnut full stock with inset chiseled steel panels and
mounts decorated with foliate scrollwork and additional grotesque mask motifs en suite with
the barrel and lock, and chiseled and pierced winged grotesque-figure trigger, pierced
trigger-guard finial, and a belt-hook. Wood ramrod with turned and chiseled steel tip. The
metal smooth and chiseling crisp. The Green Man is often featured in classical art and
architecture. Overall length 22 ½”. Flintlock pistols by Giovanni Battista Francino are
featured in the Wallace Collection and the Victoria & Albert Museum, and this one is much
nicer! It would be difficult to find a better quality flintlock pistol at any price. Provenance:
the prestigious Norman Blank Collection.