Koller View 3/21

11 1 A pair of large Louis XV ormolu firedogs. Paris circa 1750. 45 × 78 × 47 cm. Estimate: CHF 8 000/12 000 2 A pair of North Italian silver candlesticks. Turin, circa 1760–1786. Maker’s mark Gabriel Marcello Giuliano. H 27,5 cm. Estimate: CHF 25 000/35 000 3 A rare South German pendant watch, probably by Hans Christoph Kreizer, Augsburg circa 1630. H 8.5 cm. Estimate: CHF 15 000/25 000 3 2 Weapons steeped in history Around 100 antique firearms, cut and thrust weapons, polearms and armour from the 16 th to 19 th centuries consigned from various Swiss private collections will be featured in the 30 September auction. The lots were all examined and catalogued with the assistance of the renowned expert on historical weapons Jürg A. Meier. Featured are a Russian-Caucasian ceremonial sabre from the end of the 19 th century, a pair of percussion pistols produced in Paris in the mid-19 th century, aswell asa rarecompletelypreservedGerman iron suit of armour from circa 1580. Such armour was produced fromthe14 th centuryonwardsbyspecialised blacksmiths known as ‘Plattner’. Afterwards, artisans called ‘Harnischfeger’ polished and decorated the protective armour. Not only knights, but horses and even elephants used in battles sported plate armour. An exceptionally rare piece in the sale is the hinged ‘Klappvisier’ visor for a type of bascinet helmet known as a ‘Hundsgugel’, worn by the Austrians at the Battle of Sempach in 1386. Such characteristic bascinets can be seen in pictorial representations such as the famous ‘Lucerne Chronicle’ by Diebold Schilling the Younger, 1513.