Flint-lock pistol with ramrod

Flint-lock pistol, a pair with A1220. Octagonal barrel with matt blue surface lightly chiselled and overlaid in gold with a formal Empire design of vases, garlands and drapery. On the left side alongside the stock is engraved: Manufacture à Versailles, and on the right: Boutet Directeur Artiste. At the breech are stamped Boutet's proof marks, and another mark is stamped on the underside. Fore and backsights. Multi-grooved rifling. The vent is faced with an oval gold plaque. The false breech of bright steel is engraved with a may-pole and an armadillo (?). Lock of bright steel retaining the original burnish. Lock-plate encrusted in gold with a design of thunder-clouds and lightning, and the upper jaw of the cock with a caduceus. Gold-lined pan. The inner side of the lock-plate is engraved: Boutet Directeur Artiste. At the end of the eighteenth century, France possessed the largest standing army in Europe. To keep it armed, state-owned factories such as those at Saint Etienne and Châtellerault produced thousands of firearms every year. France’s most famous arms manufactory was a comparative newcomer to this huge military industry. The Manufacture National de Versailles was set up in the grounds of the Palace of Versailles to produce not only military arms but also richly-decorated presentation pieces. Nicholas-Noël Boutet (1761-1833) was appointed directeur-artiste of this establishment in 1792 and quickly built up an international reputation. Today he is regarded the last and greatest of the early modern artist-gunsmiths. Under Boutet the Versailles factory produced military firearms and edged weapons throughout the Napoleonic period and on into the Restoration. However Boutet was most famous for his luxury arms. As court gunsmith to Napoleon Bonaparte he brought gun-making in France to its artistic zenith. He specialised in cased pistols and rifles, often composed as complete sets. Created using the finest materials worked by the most skilful specialist workmen, these rich objects were usually mounted in solid silver, intricately cast and chased with Neoclassical ornament, the blued barrels studded with tiny gold stars and elaborate gold inlay at their breeches, the walnut stocks carved and inlaid with silver and gold. Although other centres such as Saint-Etienne also produced presentation weapons, Versailles was at this time undoubtedly the most highly-regarded centre for such work in Europe.