Engraved throughout with Empire designs of Neo-classical laurel branches, flower heads and related small motifs to the exceptional standard characteristic of this maker. With turn-off short barrels with engraved muzzles, engraved box-lock actions each signed BOUTET ET FILS in capitals on the left, involving a larger decorated cursive letter B and inscribed A VERSAILLES on the right, fitted with sliding safety-catches and engraved folding triggers, the latter delicately concealed within the designs engraved on the underside of the actions, and with ebony butts cut with panels of fine chequering: in their original case contour-fitted for the rare seating of the pistols in a side-by-side standing position, lined in dark green baize, covered with burgundy morocco leather with tooled and gilt borders both inside and out, and the lid with the owner’s gilt-stamped monogram DM. Retaining its original full complement of accessories, comprising combined bullet mould, sprue-cutter and barrel wrench, three-position turnscrew, and pricker. The entire set preserved in fine untouched condition throughout.
Nicolas Nöel Boutet (1761-1833) succeeded his father-in-law as Arquebusier de sa Majesté in accordance with the terms of his marriage contract. He made the transition through the revolutionary period primarily as a manufacturer of military firearms, and rose within the structure of the arms manufactory at Versailles which had been established in 1793. In the following year Boutet established a workshop within the manufactory for the production of armes de luxe , presentation armes de recompence and armes d’honneur, both firearms and edged weapons. In this endeavour Nicolas Boutet was appointed Directuer Artiste, and emerged pre-eminent as a maker of weapons of unsurpassed technical and artistic brilliance.
Boutet’s armes de luxe are found in many royal historical collections throughout Europe, including that of H.M the Queen at Winsor Castle, and the former Imperial collection now in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg.
Pierre-Nicolas Boutet was born on 2nd October 1789 and worked with his father at Versailles from 1804 at the age of 15. Within this period until the death of Pierre-Nicolas in 1816, Boutet signed select firearms Boutet et Fils.
