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Expanding on W. Keith Neal’s description, the smoothbore barrel is blued in addition to the ornate gold work which includes two stamped and gilt fleurs- de-lis, and has a gold blade front sight with gold spider base with foliate motifs; and fine chiseled transition point with gilt backgrounds. The coordinating blued standing breech has a grooved rear sight. The burnished lock has chiseled and engraved floral,
scroll, and mask motifs, a seated figure on the
frizzen, and gold-lined priming-pan and
frizzen. The trigger-guard has additional
chiseled figures to the front and rear, the
forward figure’s legs forming the front of
the trigger-guard which are pierced and
chiseled in the round, the inner aspect of
the trigger-guard revealing the figure’s
naked buttocks, putti holding a raised
panel with the maker’s name in gold,
scrollwork, coordinating gold inlays,
and a finely scrolled grip extension
reminiscent of a coil-spring. The side-
plate has scrolls with masks, a lamb and
two figures. The Madrid-style half-stock
has a blued steel forearm cap with gold
floral work en suite with the barrel decor,
fine checkering to the wrist and forearm,
molding, elaborate raised relief floral
carving, and the noted compartment
in the steel heel-plate containing a
combination tool, and a figure, possibly
the Angel of Death, above a figure of
a man with raised sword and waving a
tricorn hat in front of a cast naked man.
The butt-trap contains a cylindrical steel
container within which is housed a burnished
steel combination tool. The replacement wooden ramrod has a bone tip.
CONDITION: Very fine. The detailing and markings throughout remain distinct. The barrel retains
strong traces of the original blued finish which is concentrated on the round section of the barrel,
bright original gold, and a blend of gray and brown patina on the balance with some scattered storage scratches. The standing breech and forearm cap
retain nearly all of their bright blued and gold finish. The lock and side-plate remain bright. The heel-
plate is a mix of bright and light gray patina. The trigger-guard has bright gold and gray and brown patina with a hint of original blued finish to the grip extension. The stock is extremely fine with blemishes being found along the edges of the forearm, a small chip to the right side of the butt, chips around the heel-plate tang, and scattered minor storage and handling marks. The stock retains crisp checkering
with some scattered storage scratches and
beautiful sharp carving. The cylinder containing
the combination tool has a small wear hole in the
lid. The combination tool is excellent. Mechanically fine. As noted by W. Keith Neal, this piece rivals the best work from Madrid in the period and illustrates
the extraordinary talents of the Spanish gunmaker Fernando Olave.
Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection. Estimate: 25,000 - 40,000