October 22-23, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/23/2019
A beautiful German stalking rifle with heavy octagonal Damascus barrel, signed in gold W. Huebel en Meiningen. Single leaf rear sight formed as an arrow. Gold band at muzzle. Rear of barrel also with gold band. Breech engraved with scrolls and inlaid with gold lines extending to the wrist, whilst further engraved with a hunter in costume carrying a rifle. The lock with gold line border is finely engraved with stags in a rocky landscape. Maker's signature in gold. Dolphin form hammer with gold inlaid eyes and gold banding. Nipple protector is also inlaid in gold and engraved with roller bearing spring. Checkered horn trigger guard with gold inlaid pineapple finial. Engraved single steel sideplate with one small gold inlay. German silver escutcheons surround barrel key. Buttplate engraved with scrolls and some line gold inlay engraved with a German blowing a hunting horn while his dog feasts on a boar. Beautifully figured walnut half stock finely checkered at wrist. Cheekpiece and seam carved in relief with a large boar hound recumbent amidst a grassy landscape. Gold inlay patch box is finely engraved with a king stag and two other deer, one recumbent, in a wooded landscape. CONDITION: Barrel is excellent, retaining nearly of its original brown finish and faint Damascus pattern. Lock retains much original finish. All gold inlay intact. Action works perfectly, double triggers work properly. Stock retains nearly all original piano finish with minor marks throughout from carrying. Ramrod appears to be original. Missing one swing swivel. Bore is mint. Simply a superb example of the 19th century German gunmaker's art. MZ