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LOT 272
Attractive and Rare Silver Mounted, Engraved, and Raised Relief Carved Takedown Flintlock
Sporting Gun by Benjamin Griffin - NSN, 14 gauge, 36 5/8 inch octagon bbl., brown/silver/bright
finish, walnut stock. Manufactured by Benjamin Griffin c. 1760. The browned, two-stage, smoothbore
barrel has a silver blade front sight with inlaid silver “spider” base, decorative girdles at the transition
point, “GRIFFIN BOND STREET LONDON” signed on top, London proof marks flaking a “crown/F”
foreigner mark, engraving at the breech end, and gold lined vent. The standing breech is grooved. The
flat beveled lock is signed “GRIFFIN” and has an unusual internal frizzen spring. The ramrod ferrules,
trigger guard, and buttplate are steel. The side plate and wrist escutcheon are silver. The side
plate displays pierced floral, martial trophy, and bird designs. The escutcheon features
a spread wing eagle at the top, a bow on the right, quiver of arrows on the left,
floral blooms at the bottom, and a blank space for an inscription. The stock
features shell carving at the top of the wrist and some nice figure.
The forend has a joint allowing the gun to be taken down for
storage. The wooden ramrod has a horn tip and an iron worm.
Two similar guns with internal frizzen springs by Benjamin Griffin
c. 1760 identified as owned by William Constable of Burton
Constable Hall in Yorkshire are shown on page 61-62 of “British
Gunmakers: Messrs Griffin & Tow and W. Bailes, 1740-1790” by W.
Keith Neal and D. H. L. Back. The same escutcheon design and
carving pattern can be also seen on page 70.
CONDITION: Fine with nearly all of the refinished brown
remaining on the barrel, bright gold vent liner, attractively aged
patina on the silver mounts, mostly bright lock and remaining
mounts with some light oxidation and faint pitting, and generally
fairly minor overall wear. The refinished stock is also fine and has
crisp carving and mild handling and storage marks. Mechanically
excellent. Overall, a very attractive sporting gun by Griffin.
Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection.
Estimate: 13,000 - 19,000
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