Cased Percussion Pistols by Pirmet á Paris

Pirmet á Paris, royal arquebusiers to Louis XVIII, crafted this impressive pair of dueling percussion pistols. These exceptional pistols are fashioned with the utmost attention to detail and are covered in exquisite decoration from hilt to barrel. The firm gave careful consideration to both technical precision and decorative appeal in all of their firearms, resulting in some of the most important guns ever made, including the present pair.

The wooden handles and stocks are crafted of varnished burr walnut that has aged to a rich patina and has been embellished with an array of finely carved detailing. Most intriguing is the intricate spider’s web where the stock meets the guns’ barrels. Intricate metalwork further enlivens the pair, including octagonal barrels that are designed with equal parts beauty and precision. They are sighted and rifled for added shooting accuracy and signed “Pirmet à Paris” at the top in rich, gilt lettering. 

The pair also comes complete with its original fitted box, featuring brass accents, green felt lining and an interior label bearing the firm’s name and address. The box is fitted for an array of accessories, including a mallet, cap box, cleaning rods, screw drive/nipple wrench, horn flask and bullet mold. In every way, these luxurious firearms are the perfect blend of intricate artistry and masterful gunsmithing.

Pirmet á Paris provided firearms to some of France’s most esteemed figures, and the firm was one of the very few competitors to the famed gunsmith Nicolas Noël Boutet. In fact, a pair of percussion pistols created in collaboration between Pirmet and Boutet reside in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York). In addition to being royal arquebusiers to Louis XVIII, Pirmet also served as gunmaker to Jerome Bonaparte, King of Westphalia and Napoléon's brother, and the Duke of Angoulême, son of Charles X of France. 

Signed “Pirmet à Paris”

Circa 1820

Case: 18 1/2" wide x 9 3/4" deep x 3 1/4" high