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A remarkable find in the world of antique firearms, a cased 15-bore percussion four-shot superimposed load officer’s pistol, believed to be the only one of its kind, will take center stage at Bonhams’ upcoming auction of Antique Arms & Armour in London. The auction, which will also include items from the esteemed Per T. Norheim Collection and Modern Sporting Guns, is scheduled to run online from May 13 to May 22 on Bonhams.com
The pistol, dating back to circa 1830 and still preserved in its original fitted case, is estimated to fetch between £15,000 to £20,000. Its exceptional rarity and historical significance have already garnered significant attention from collectors and enthusiasts alike.
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David Williams, Director of Bonhams’ Arms and Armour department, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming sale, stating, “The spring sale of arms and armour presents an exciting array of arms history from a Viking sword dating as far back as the late 10th century to modern sporting guns. We’re pleased to also present a selection of works from the celebrated Norwegian historian and collector, Per T. Norheim. This sale presents an excellent opportunity for arms and armour collectors to acquire rare works with distinguished provenance.”
The discovery of the cased superimposed load pistol was a result of diligent sleuthing by the son of the original collector. Acquired sometime after World War II, the pistol’s uniqueness prompted the son to seek specialist advice. Subsequent research by Bonhams’ Arms and Armour department confirmed its rarity and pristine condition. Notably, the pistol was documented in David Baxter’s influential book on superimposed load firearms in 1966. Adorned with exquisite decoration, the pistol promises to captivate discerning collectors.
In addition to the pistol, the auction will feature a curated selection of rapiers from the Per T. Norheim Collection. Norheim, a distinguished collector and author, was deeply involved in the study and preservation of arms and armour. Among the highlights is a Fine Swept-Hilt Rapier, with an estimated value of £10,000 to £15,000.
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Also up for grabs are a pair of finely crafted K. C. Hunt engraved and gold-decorated 12-bore self-opening sidelock ejector guns by James Purdey & Sons. Encased in brass-mounted oak and leather, complete with gold-washed accessories, the guns are expected to fetch between £60,000 to £80,000.
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With such exceptional offerings, Bonhams’ Antique Arms & Armour auction promises to be a magnet for collectors seeking rare and historically significant pieces. For more information about the auction and to view the full catalog, visit Bonhams.com
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Story submitted by Bonhams. The World Art News (WAN) is not liable for the content of this publication. All statements and views expressed herein are opinions only. Act at your own risk. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. © The World Art News
The post The Only Known Cased Superimposed Load Pistol to be Sold at Bonhams’ Arms & Armour Auction appeared first on World Art News.
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LaToya Ruby Frazier: Monuments of Solidarity at the MoMA
From May 12 to September 07, 2024, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) presents “LaToya Ruby Frazier: Monuments of Solidarity”, the first museum survey dedicated to the artist-activist.
Source: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) · Image: LaToya Ruby Frazier, LaToya Ruby Frazier Takes on Levi’s, 2010 © 2023 Art21, courtesy of the artist and Gladstone gallery. Image via http://press.moma.org/
For more than two decades, Frazier has used photography, text, moving images, and performance to revive and preserve forgotten narratives of labor, gender, and race in the postindustrial era. Bringing together work from 2001 to 2024, this exhibition highlights the full range of Frazier’s practice to date and includes several rarely- and never-before-seen works. LaToya Ruby Frazier: Monuments of Solidarity is organized by Roxana Marcoci, The David Dechman Senior Curator and Acting Chief Curator, with Antoinette D. Roberts and Caitlin Ryan, Curatorial Assistants, Department of Photography.
Born in 1982 in the steel town of Braddock, Pennsylvania, Frazier has cultivated a practice that critically builds on the legacy of the social documentary tradition of the 1930s, the photo-conceptual forays of the 1960s and 1970s, and the work of socially conscious writers like Upton Sinclair, James Baldwin, and bell hooks. Frazier’s work sheds light on pressing social and political issues, including those spurred by industrialization and deindustrialization, racial and environmental injustice, gender disparities, unequal access to healthcare and potable water, and the erosion or denial of fundamental human rights.
“As a form of Black feminist world-building, these nontraditional monuments demand recognition of the crucial role that women and people of color have played and continue to play within histories of labor and the working class, of who and what is worth celebrating,” said Marcoci.
“It is incumbent upon me to resist—one photograph at a time, one photo essay at a time, one body of work at a time, one book at a time, one workers’ monument at a time—historical erasure and amnesia,” Frazier pointed out.