Rating and value of 1st Empire roller pistols

If you own a 1st Empire spinning wheel pistol, and would like to know its value, and if you don't know, the period and model of your weapon, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on today's market. Thereafter, if you wish to sell your work, we will guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.  

Rating and value of 1st Empire spinning-wheel pistols

1st Empire spinning-wheel pistols are sought-after items by collectors. However, price differences can be considerable, depending on order, state of preservation, who owned it, and other criteria. Nowadays, prices for these objects can rise considerably under the auctioneer's hammer. Buyers from all over the world are interested in the sale of certain rare pieces. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €25 to €13,000, for the time being, a substantial gap but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to these weapons. In 2017, a pair of pistols that belonged to Prefect Louis-Marie Auvray, sold for €7,500 while they were estimated at between €6,000 and €8,000. 

Order of value ranging from a simple order to the most prestigious

A look back at the history of the spinning-wheel pistol  

The spinning-wheel pistol is one of the earliest in circulation. It is a complex weapon that was mostly collected. Very few 1st Empire spinning-wheel pistols can be found on the auction market, which further enhances its value.
The first pistol in history was first used in England, in 1461, at the Battle of Towton.

Not long afterwards, during the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci became interested in the spinning-wheel mechanism, which he theorized and schematized. The spinning wheel is a steel part in the form of a wheel, toothed or notched. It is used to rub the firing plate to trigger the shot. Once the hammer is engaged, the springs move into action, creating a spark to ignite the priming powder.

The same operation is found on wheel harquebuses, widely used in the Netherlands.

Wheel guns were weapons used to complement flintlock pistols, which were easier to use. They were very rarely used by the military in everyday weaponry, as the pinwheel pistol operates far too slowly. However, all countries developed this type of pistol, especially Italy. In France, the Empire marked the end of their use, and spinning-wheel pistols were mostly found in 17th-century France.

Style and technique of the French spinning-wheel pistol

The French spinning-wheel pistol was initially conceived as a weapon like any other, made very simply of wood and metal. Over the years, however, it acquired a prestigious reputation and was owned by high-ranking military personnel, even if it was rarely used by them. Napoleon I himself owned several.

The rouet pistol, the first French pistol

They were to be revisited by Napoleon I for the Grande Armée. However, they were used very little in combat, and served mainly as historical witnesses. Like Napoleonic sabers, they are a symbol of wealth and power, and the various ornaments and decorations that can be found on these weapons are proof of this.

Reasons to sell a rouet pistol at auction  

If you own a rouet pistol from this historical period, and you don't know how to sell it, auctions are a solution. Indeed, collectors use this medium to find models that correspond to a particular battle or that belonged to their ancestors. Prices can thus reach unprecedented amounts.

These objects are not just weapons, but a historical witness to the Empire that is part of the scientific evolution of French weapon design.

Knowing the value of a rouet pistol  

If you happen to own a pistol, from any period, and would like to know its value, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using our form on our website. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your piece, as well as any relevant information about it. If you wish to sell your property, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market inclinations.