Thuraine & Le Hollandois pistols
 

Hello and a happy and interesting New Year to everyone.
I am researching pistols signed by both the above masters together. Their partnership lasted only a few years, the 1650s - early 1660s and not many of their pistols survive. I know of the pair sold from the Royal Hanover collection in 2005 and a very damaged pair sold at an auction in Shrewsbury, England, in 2009. I would be very grateful for photos or any information of a single pistol sold from a Kunstkammer in Heilbronn a year ago (more or less), and also of a pair sold by San Giorgio auctions, Genoa, Italy in 2010. I have tried contacting the two houses but without success. So if any of you flintlock connoisseurs have access to any photos or other info about these or any other pistols by Thuraine & Le Hollandois which I am not aware of, I would be enormously grateful to receive it. Many thanks.
Neil

Salaams Neil, I saw some detail on https://books.google.com.om/books?id...istols&f=false

and a panel from a French gun(showing a horse) attributed to Thuraine & Le Hollandois

Please see https://books.google.com.om/books?id...istols&f=false on about page 127...128 showing dragon locks.

and a pair of pistols below by the project artists sold but written up as Description: A pair of French flintlock pistols of the second half of the 17th century by Thuraine of Paris and Le Hollandois. Fully stocked in French walnut with 8 (20cm) barrels of 31 bore (.533" calibre). Ornately engraved and pierced silver furniture and Le Hollandois (Adrien Reynier) were gunsmiths by appointment to Louis XIV. Examples of their joint collaboration are known in the Tojhusmeet, Copenhagen, the Musee d'Armes Liege, The Royal House of Hanover (see Sotheby's sale "The Royal House of Hanover Collection 5-15 October 2005 Lots 755, 756, 757) Thuraine's name appears with Le Hollandois on the title page of Jacquinet's Pattern book of gunmaker's designs "Plusiers Modes des Plus Nouvelles Manieres Qui Sont en Usage en L'art D'arquebuserie" published in Paris 1660. the butts with silver monogrammed cartouches of classical figures within ornate borders. The triggerguards in cast silver engraved with a classical figure and trumpet the side-nails supported by ornate pierced silver filigree plates. The three stage faceted and smooth barrels damascened in gold with a standing classical figure and grotesques and "ET LE HOLLANDO" (sic) respectively. Overall length 15.25" (38.5cm) NOTE: Thuraine the pommels similarly gilt and with pierced silver caps the lockplates marked "THURAINE A PARIS" Please note that the barrels and forends have been shortened.

Salaams Ibrahiim, many thanks for your digging which I really appreciate. The pair which you post with photos and description is, in fact, the pair sold in Shrewsbury in 2009. But I did not have the detailed description which you found. The references were useful, too. I know about Jacquinet's pattern book which is based on designs by Thuraine & Le Hollandois, and have photos of several pages from it. These pistols are magnificent examples of Baroque decoration, as you can see from the damaged pair in your post. Thanks again for your trouble.
Neil

Salaams NeilUK~ They would look great with my Dick Turpin outfit !! A pleasure to be of any help..:)
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Neil, this is truly flintlock esoterica!! and thank you so much for posting this query. It is great to see info on such historically important pieces.
Ibrahiim thank you for the great input........Dick Turpin!!?? :)
OK, gotta see that one.

I found in my library the following foto and description, hope you like it. It is from "Wallace B. Gusler/James D. Lavin, Illustrated Firearms 1540-1870, from the collection of Clay P. Bedford, Williamsburg Foundation 1977"
corrado26

Jim, thanks for your kind comments.
Corrado, Thanks for that reference, though in fact I have that book myself, but it was good to be reminded! Thuraine, either alone or with his son, made a number of firearms which survive today, many in Denmark, but what is very rare is ones made by both masters in partnership. On the pairs which I know of each master signed one of the pistols, as with the pair posted by Ibrahiim and the Hanover pair, an unusual feature.
Regards to all.
Neil