A German 32-Bore Wheel-Lock Holster Pistol (Puffer)

A German 32-Bore Wheel-Lock Holster Pistol (Puffer) Augsburg, Late 16th Century With swamped two-stage barrel etched with foliage at a later date in front of the girdle and along the top flats of the octagonal breech, the latter struck with maker's mark of M. Klein of Augsburg ( Neue Støckel 3955) and with Augsburg mark, tang with later etching, flat lock etched en suite with the barrel and with circular wheel-retaining bracket pierced with a pair of monsters and retained by two screws, sprung manually-operated pan-cover, cock engraved with a further monster and operating on a chiselled spring between a pillar-shaped bridle secured by two screws, and pivoting safety-catch (button replaced) acting against an external spring, blackened full stock inlaid with white staghorn or bone panels between slender horn lines and borders mainly engraved with blackened guilloche, repeated foliage and scrollwork, opposite the lock with addorsed monsters each with a bearded human head, and on either side of the tang with a foliated portrait bust, compressed ball-pommel inlaid with horn roundels each engraved as a flower-head and between bands of guilloche, ramrod-pipes engraved respectively with a blackened helmeted male profile bust and a bird, each within a cartouche, slender iron trigger-guard and baluster trigger, horn fore-end cap engraved with overlapping foliage, later ramrod with tip en suite, and in fine condition 31.8 cm. barrel Footnotes: Provenance Clapp and Graham, New York 1926 Property sold by the Art Institute of Chicago, from the George F. Harding Collection to benefit the Harding Collection of Arms and Armor, Christie's London, Antique Arms And Armour..., 20 September 2007, lot 151 This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com