Bidspirit auction | A Pair of Cased Percussion

A Pair of Cased Percussion Pistols by Imbert, Marseille - Octagonal rifled barrels, 11.5 mm caliber, with a highly polished blued finish; adjustable front sight. The patent breech blocks are decorated with arabesques and marked ”1/2”; the tongues are decorated en suite and also marked. The similarly decorated percussion lock plates are marked ”IMBERT A MARSEILLE”. Ebony half-stocks are richly carved with floral ornamentation, fluted grips. A steel furniture is also decorated with engraved arabesques. France, Marseille, circa 1860; length of both pistols: 41 cm. Stored in a case with extensive accessories; the mallet and tool handles are made of ebony. Gunsmith Imbert is recorded in Marseille around 1855; he ran a firearms factory with a warehouse. Condition: 2+