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LOT 283
Superb Pair of Engraved Gold Inlaid and Relief Carved Wheellock Sporting Rifles by Caspar Zelner -A) Caspar Zelner Wheellock Sporting Rifle - NSN, 54 cal., 32 1/8 inch octagon bbl., blue/gold/bright finish, walnut stock. The swamped octagonal barrels feature seven-groove rifling, dovetailed brass blade
front sights surrounded by gold inlaid designs, gilt brass three-leaf rear sights with decorative finials, “CASPAR ZELNER” in gold inlay on top
of the breech section flanking Zelner’s sunken golden maker’s mark and bordered by gold inlays along with additional gold inlaid designs at the breech. The short iron tangs are finished bright and engraved, including with the numbers “1” and “2” clearly indicating the rifles were made as a
matched pair. The flat locks feature internal wheels leaving a large uninterrupted surface for the engraving which features a highly detailed scene featuring dogs, slain stag and boar, putti blowing horns, and Diana, goddess of the hunt, seated with a bird on her right hand and two female attendants. The locks are fired using adjustable double set triggers, and the mounts are gilt brass with scroll, floral, classical, and hunting themed designs. The side plates feature a scene of Diana being pulled in a chariot by two dogs with a slain deer, putti, an estate in the background, a bird, and scrollwork. Each trigger guard finial features a dog, and each bow features a stag. The thumb rest has dogs hunting hares, and the buttplate tangs feature a male armored bust.
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