One-of-a-Kind Matched Pair: An Offering from the Vault. Occasionally, we are privileged to present exceptional arms drawn directly from the long-held personal acquisitions of company director Christian Cranmer, assembled over decades of dedicated collecting. This magnificent matched pair was acquired at auction from Christie's, London approximately 25 years ago and has remained carefully preserved in the collection ever since.

These extraordinary early 18th century flintlock holster pistols originate from Silesia, with their silver mounts bearing marks associated with Breslau, present-day Wrocław, Poland. Measuring a substantial 20 inches overall, the pistols combine heavy swamped brass barrels, elaborate silver furniture, finely figured walnut stocks, and prominent heraldic escutcheons associated with the Polish noble Gurowski, or Górowski, family.

Silesia was one of Central Europe's most culturally and politically complex regions. Its population included both German- and Polish-speaking communities, and during the 18th century the province became the focus of repeated conflict between the Habsburg monarchy and Prussia. Most of Silesia was seized by Frederick II of Prussia during the Silesian Wars beginning in 1740. These pistols appear to predate that conquest and therefore belong to the earlier Silesian period, although their heraldry and subsequent family associations place them within the broader Polish-Prussian aristocratic world.

Most striking are the large silver wrist escutcheons on both pistols. Each displays the Gurowski family arms, consisting of a checkered shield beneath a coronet and crest, supported by crowned lions. The heraldic devices are finely executed in engraved and embossed silver and form a major visual feature of the pair.

One escutcheon incorporates the date:

1692

arranged around its perimeter.

The corresponding pistol bears the initials:

M G K P

The significance of both the date and initials remains uncertain. They may relate to family history, ownership, heraldry, or an earlier commemorative event rather than the actual manufacture of the pistols. Their presence nevertheless offers considerable potential for further research into the original commission.

The pistols are lavishly silver mounted throughout. Particularly unusual are the flat beveled lock plates, which are themselves made in silver and finely engraved with trophies or stands of captured arms against a pebbled background. The iron cocks, pans, and frizzens contrast attractively with the silver locks and carry additional strapwork decoration.

The trigger guards and their finials are similarly decorated, while the spurred silver butt caps terminate in boldly rendered Bacchus mask pommels. Silver ramrod pipes complete the furniture.

Of particular note are the elaborate pierced silver side plates, decorated with foliate work surrounding an eagle flanked by putti blowing trumpets. Together with the heraldic escutcheons, these mounts demonstrate the extraordinary amount of skilled labor invested in this pair.

Silver marks are visible on the right "ear" of each butt cap. These consist of a W within a heart together with a C within a circle, which have been identified as Breslau silver marks dating to approximately 1727-1737.

Also present is the maker's mark:

GK

within an oval.

This mark has been attributed to the Breslau silversmith Gottfried Körner. Taken together, the silver marks strongly support Silesian manufacture during the first half of the 18th century.

The pistol carrying the 1692 escutcheon is additionally marked with a:

1

on the tang, presumably identifying it as the first pistol of the matched pair.

Each pistol has a massive swamped brass barrel measuring approximately 13 3/8 inches in length and approximately 22 Bore, equivalent to roughly .596 inch or 15.1 mm. The barrels incorporate applied silver sighting flats fitted with silver blade front sights.

The breech portions of the brass barrels are engraved and chiseled in relief with sprays of acanthus foliage, while the tangs carry additional foliate engraving. The contrast between the warm aged brass barrels and extensive silver mounts gives the pistols an exceptionally rich appearance.

Both full-length stocks are made from highly figured walnut, possibly incorporating burl or similarly dramatic grain. The stocks are carved with scroll and strapwork decoration that echoes the ornamental themes of the metal furniture and visually ties the entire design together.

At the muzzle, each stock is fitted with a horn nose cap separated from the wood by a contrasting white horn spacer. Both pistols also retain matching ramrods terminating in coordinated white and dark horn tips.

The pair remains in lovely matured condition and has clearly been carefully preserved over the centuries. Much of the engraving remains crisp and readily visible, while the deeply embossed silver furniture shows only moderate tarnishing and age-related patination.

We tested both locks, and each remains mechanically functional, holding correctly at half cock and releasing at full cock. We do not recommend repeatedly testing the locks for spark, as the frizzens already display substantial wear consistent with historical use.

Both highly figured stocks show old cracks and repairs. This is not unexpected with wood possessing such dramatic and irregular grain, as the very characteristics that make figured walnut so visually appealing can also leave areas structurally vulnerable. Importantly, both stocks are presently stable.

The combination of heraldic ownership, Breslau-marked silver furniture, brass barrels, elaborate relief and engraved decoration, and survival as a genuine matched pair places these pistols in an entirely different category from ordinary military or utilitarian arms. They were clearly expensive prestige weapons, commissioned for a person of significant means and social standing.

Their Gurowski family arms strongly suggest ownership or commission within that noble family, although the precise original owner represented by the 1692 date and M G K P initials has yet to be identified. That unresolved question provides a particularly fascinating avenue for additional genealogical and heraldic research.

Having remained in Christian Cranmer's personal collection for approximately a quarter century following their acquisition from Christie's, this magnificent matched pair represents a rare opportunity to acquire an exceptionally decorative and historically intriguing set of early 18th century Silesian nobleman's flintlock pistols.

Specifications, Both Pistols:

Date of Manufacture: Circa 1730s
Origin: Silesia, with Breslau silver marks
Caliber: Approximately 22 Bore (.596 inch / 15.1 mm)
Barrels: Heavy Swamped Brass
Ammunition: Lead Ball and Black Powder
Barrel Length: 13 3/8 inches (34.0 cm)
Overall Length: 20 inches (50.8 cm)
Action: Flintlock
Feed System: Muzzle Loading
Furniture: Extensively Silver Mounted
Stocks: Highly Figured Walnut
Provenance: Ex-Christie's, London; subsequently Christian Cranmer Collection

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