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339 A PAIR OF BABY WHITWORTH 1.7IN ARTILLERY SHELLS, BLUED AND DAMASCENED IN GOLD WITH COMMEMORATIVE INSCRIPTIONS RELATING TO THE THIRD CARLIST WAR, BY TEODORO YBARZABAL, EIBAR, DATED 1875 of blued steel (oxidized to brown over much of the surface), the hexagonal spiraling bodies decorated with silver lines framed by slender gold frames, inscribed ‘Bombo D Hernani 16 D Set.bre D 1875’ and ‘Bombo D Sn. Sebastian 28 D Set. bre 1875’ respectively in gold letters around the tops, fitted with flower-shaped drip pans, decorated on the tops with damascened patterns and signed on the underside, and gilt screw-in sconces decorated en suite 18.5cm; 7 1/4in high (2)
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Provenance Howard L. Blackmore St Sebastian and the village of Hernani are both located in the Basque country. The bombardments commemorated here took place during the penultimate year of the Third Carlist War (1872-76). Teodoro de Ibarzabal is recorded in Eibar circa 184080 as a maker of swords, firearms and daggers. See R. Larranaga, p. 219. ‡ £500-700