GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
MAGNIFICENT CIRCA 1720 SILESIAN FLINTLOCK RIFLE MADE IN THE 17TH CENTURY STYLE. SILESIAN FLINTLOCK RIFLE NSN 24 BORE Cal. 24 bore. 40-3/4" overall, 29-1/2" slightly swamped oct bbl with fixed rear sight and front blade sight with gilted foliate engraving over 50% of surface. Lock and cock engraved en suite with addition of deer. Fruitwood stock inset with engraved bone and Mother-of-pearl inlaid panels covering about 90% of exposed wood surfaces. Panels depict woodland scenes including largest panel of a mounted horseman in a stag hunt, other hunters with game, various animals, fantastic beasts and foliate designs. Iron tipped ramrod probably of a later period. This is truly a spectacular piece of art in amazing "as found", very high condition. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbl is overall plum patina with strong traces of bright orig blue. Traces of gilt decoration are found in protected areas of engraving on lock, bbl and trigger guard. Stock is sound with sharp edges, hand worn patina with only minor cosmetic blemishes, tiny reductions and only a couple of small hairlines. Insets are virtually all intact with only minor warpage and rising of a few panels. Patchbox has front tombstone-shaped bone inset replaced apparently as it is not en suite, but is well fit with same patina to other bone and could easily have been added contemporarily. Mechanically fine with shiny bright bore. 52630-5 JS (12,000-15,000)