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Rare Double Barrel
Flintlock Sporting
Gun with Gold-Inlaid
Barrel and Gilt Bronze
Mounts by Nicolas-Noel
Boutet, Versailles
LOT 316
Rare and Beautiful Double Barrel Flintlock Sporting Gun with Gold-Inlaid Barrel and Gilt Bronze Mounts by Nicolas-Noel Boutet, Versailles - NSN, 24 gauge, 29 3/4 inch part octagon bbl., gold/blue/bright finish, walnut stock. This shotgun was crafted at the state arms factory at Versailles under Directeur Artiste Nicolas-Noel Boutet (1761-1833), gunmaker to both King Louis XVI and Napoleon and one of the greatest “de luxe” arms makers in history. Every detail
on the fine arms manufactured under his aegis are precise. This smoothbore hunting gun was manufactured in the early 1800s and has gold bands at each muzzle and a gilt blade front sight with gold-inlaid accents, decorative gold girdles at the transition point, gold oval touch- holes, and gold-inlaid diamond and floral patterns at the breech along with “BC” (upper left), “BOUTET” (top of both), and “LC” (upper right) marks. The upper flats on the octagonal to polygonal breech sections are respectively signed “Boutet Directeur Artiste” and “Manufacture
a Versailles”. The underside of each breech signed “ARMAND” along with a second indistinct signature. The standing breech incorporates
a grooved rear sight and is polished bright and engraved with floral motifs. The right lock is signed “BOUTET/DIRECTEUR” at the center,
and the left lock is signed “MANUFAC./A VERSAILLES”, and each lock features simple borders, floral engraving, large frizzen spring rollers, and graceful swan-neck cocks. The mounts are gilt bronze with applied texture aside from some polished accents such as the small divots on the points of the shell-shaped ramrod entry pipe finial and the larger oval on the trigger-guard bow. The stock features very fine checkering on the forearm and wrist with crisp molding, a very beautifully carved scroll and floral pattern grip extension, and a fluted comb.
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