LONDON.- Important Arms and Armour from prestigious collections will be offered in Thomas Del Mar Ltd’s auction of Antique Arms, Armour and Militaria at 25 Blythe Road, London W14 on Wednesday, December 6, 2017.

The strongest section of the sale is the Firearms which spans four hundred years and represents a number of major technical developments within this field. Highlights including from the Property of a Gentleman: an exceptional cased pair of 30 bore silver-mounted flintlock duelling pistols of presentation quality by London-maker John Manton, dating from 1790/1, which were probably made for Francis Ingram Seymour-Conway (1743-1822), 2nd Marquess of Hertford, who’s descendant founded the Wallace Collection, is estimated at £35,000-45,000. These pistols have been associated with a Marquess of Hertford since the early 20th Century. What remains of the crest would reinforce this attribution though insufficient detail remains to be absolutely certain of this. The attribution of the original owner to Richard, 5th Marquis of Hertford, must be discounted as he was born in 1818. The second Marquis, cited above is perhaps the most plausible candidate, passing to his son, Francis Charles Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess and from him to Richard Seymour- Conway, 4th Marquess, whose widow founded the Wallace Collection.

From a French Collection: a fine and rare cased pair of 28 bore French flintlock pistols of presentation quality by Boutet et fils a Versailles, circa 1800 is estimated at £20,000-30,000. Nicolas-Noël Boutet (1761-1833) the distinguished maker of armes de luxe inherited the position of gunmaker to Louis XIV from his father-in-law, Pierre de Sainte (active 1747-88). In 1792 he became technical Director at the new Versailles Manufactory and in 1800 rose to Directeur Artiste with overall control. He held this position until the closure of the manufactory in 1818.

A fine 18 bore French silver-mounted Royal flintlock holster pistol made for John V, King of Portugal (1689, 1706-50) by Le Hollandois a Paris aux Galleries is the property of a European Collector. Dating from circa 1726, it is estimated at £8,000-12,000. By tradition this was presented to King John V of Portugal in 1727 following the fire that devastated the Portuguese Royal Manufactory the preceding year.

Another notable piece is a magnificent firearm with an important provenance; a very fine 54 bore Royal Beaumont Adams five-shot double action percussion revolver by London maker Robert Adams, circa 1860, estimated at £8,000-12,000. Engraved with the initial ‘A’ beneath the coronet of a Prince means that this pistol was either owned by Queen Victoria’s sons Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1844-1900) or Arthur, Duke of Connaught (1850-1942. Given their ages it would appear that Prince Alfred is the most likely. Prince Alfred joined the Navy in 1858 at the age of fourteen, however on the abdication of King Otto of Greece in 1862, he was chosen by the Greeks to succeed him, but political conventions made it impossible for the British government to accede to their wishes. Meanwhile, Alfred pursued his naval career. In 1863 he was promoted to Lieutenant and three years later to Captain. By 1893 he was Admiral of the Fleet and was a highly respected, well-informed and able fleet leader.

Property from the Berger Collection Educational Trust, sold to benefit future philanthropy comprises a composite Cap-a-Pie field armour, mainly Italian, dating from 16th and Early 17th Centuries with etched and gilt decoration of the 19th Century in the early 17th Century style is estimated at £8,000-12,000; and a group of mid 18th

century Scottish basket-hilted broadswords from the Collection of the Dowager Countess Cawdor carry estimates ranging up to £2,500. A collection of equestrian-related pieces include a large group of rowel spurs, mainly South American dating from the late 18th to 20th centuries which is estimated at £300-400.

The auction includes items from all corners of the globe including a Brunswick state two-hand processional sword of the Guard of Julius, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg in Wolfenbüttel (1528-89), dated 1573 which carries an estimate of £15,000-20,000; a fine and important North Italian left cheek-piece of a burgonet with embossed and damascened decoration, dating from circa 1580 is expected to fetch £4,000-6,000, and a fine Indian sword with enamelled silver hilt, dating from the first half of the 19th century is estimated at £2,000-3,000.