Rare guns hanging on wall of home

The guns were part of a larger collection

A pair of rare 17th Century duelling pistols are expected to fetch £5,000 at auction after hanging on a wall of a Shropshire house for about 50 years.

The flintlock weapons were made by Thuraine and le Hollandois, gunsmiths to Louis XIV, a spokesman for auctioneer Halls said.

They have been in a house in Frankwell in Shrewsbury with the owner unaware of their value, he added.

The guns were included in collection of militaria from a Shrewsbury collector.

We have no idea how they came to be in Shrewsbury, but one theory is that they were salvaged by a British soldier from the wreckage of a French chateau in the war Jeremy Lamond, fine art director at Halls

The weapons will go up for auction on 1 May at Halls' saleroom in Shrewsbury.

Jeremy Lamond, fine art director, said: "To find one of these rare pistols would be unusual but to find a pair is remarkable.

"They have been hanging on a wall in a house in the Frankwell area of Shrewsbury probably for around 50 years, with the owner completely unaware of their value.

"Very few guns made by Thuraine and le Hollandois exist outside museums therefore, we expect the pistols to attract interest from collectors and museums worldwide.

"We have no idea how they came to be in Shrewsbury, but one theory is that they were salvaged by a British soldier from the wreckage of a French chateau in the war."