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The current rifle has panels of relief carved scrollwork along the sides of the forend that
include eagle masks, floral blooms,
and leaves. The forend also has
brass furniture engraved with coordinating floral designs. The patch box contains an iron spanner, and the lid has two lions and a pierced escutcheon with bestial mask finials and a human mask.
The left stock flat has additional animals, including two deer, and the lock screw washers are shaped as cornucopias and heralds, the rear holding a serpent. The left side of the butt includes buildings by the barrel tang, a reposed figure with
a leashed dog, a falconer, hunter
with horn and spear, eagle head,
brass cheekpiece plate with pierced
scroll design with mask elements
that coordinate with the stock carving
and a central mother of peal inlay, bestial accent
on the cheek piece edge, and a male figure with fruit
on the accent near the edge of the butt. The buttplate
is smooth staghorn. The MET’s rifle also features high
relief, silver ornamented chiseled designs on the barrel
and lock that are very similar to this rifle. Note especially
the lock designs which are clearly based on the same
pattern with only minor differences. The rifled octagon barrel
has engraving around the bore on the muzzle face, a brass
dovetailed blade front sight, a dovetailed two-leaf rear sight (one
standing, one folding), a flat folding peep sight with three apertures
on the tang, and full coverage chiseled engraving highlighted by silver
with a border and scroll design that incorporates repeating mask elements and a
figure under a crown in different poses, including holding a sword on the breech section.
The lock has a coordinating design that has a figure with scrolls emanating from their arms at the center flanked by two figures with horns whose bodies also terminate with scrolls, and floral designs. The rifle has
of the 17th century’s finest firearms artisans: the anonymous “Master of the Animal-Head Scroll.”
Provenance: “Warren” Tom Lewis Collection, Private Collection.
Estimate: 40,000 - 60,000
ard has finger grooves.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine with aged patina on the silver and brass, dark brown in the backgrounds on the barrel and lock, traces of gilt finish on the dog, and mild overall wear.
The stock is also very fine and has crisp carving, smooth finish, minor dings and scratches,
slight slivers absent by the barrel tang, small repairs, and a few insignificant hairline cracks. Mechanically untested. This extraordinary wheellock rifle is a truly outstanding work of art by one
double set triggers, and the trigger gu
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