Engraved Napoleonic-Era French Versailles Percussion Pistol - Boutet Directeur Artiste

Description

8/22/25 - This is a very nice example French Napoleonic Officer's Pistol, made very much in the high end French style of the day, known as the "Versailles" style. Designed by famed gunsmith Nicolas-Noël Boutet, this pattern pistols were very popular and extensively made for French Officers. Nicolas-Noël Boutet (1761–1833), famed “directeur-artiste” of the Versailles arms factory, produced some percussion pistols late in his career after the factory closed in 1818, though many pistols attributed to him are earlier flintlocks later converted to percussion. His true percussion pieces, often target pistols (pistolets de tir), featured finely rifled octagonal Damascus barrels, slim percussion locks, and elegant Empire-style furniture, usually signed “Boutet” in gold and sometimes marked with his Paris shop address. Because percussion ignition only became widespread in the 1820s, authentic Boutet percussion pistols are rare and highly sought after. This was is .69 Caliber with an 8.5" octagonal barrel. The lock plate is marked "Manuf a Versailles", and the top of the barrel has the Boutet maker mark, "Boutet Directeur Artiste". There are beautiful and intricate engravings throughout - filigree accents, horses, wild hog, flowers, a human portrait, and even the hammer is engraved to look like an animal (appears to be some sort of goat or ram). The barrel has a nice plum-tinted nitre blue finish with gold-gilded star accents. The original wood ramrod has a real ivory tip. Overall, the gun is in very nice condition for its age. The most noticeable sign of wear or age is some pitting around the breech. The wood furniture is nice overall but shows minor bruising throughout and a small wood repair at the right front. The bore shows no major pitting, but there is surface rust throughout.