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LOT 1289
Very Fine Engraved, Chiseled, and Carved Air Gun by von der Fecht of Berlin - , 40
cal., 38 1/4 inch octagon bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. This beautiful air gun is signed
“V•D•FECHT•ABERLIN” on the lock. The von der Fecht family of gunmakers were active in
Berlin from c. 1730s-1820s. This gun would date to c. 1740. It is accompanied by a certificate
of authenticity from F. Theodore Dexter listing it as a “High Art German Air Gun by von
der Fecht. This Air Gun shows the top in workmanship
and artistic ornamentation.” The swamped octagonal
smoothbore barrel has an approximately .40 caliber
bore, dovetailed blade and notch sights, a scroll finial
on the rear sight, and scroll engraving incorporating
a canine mask at the breech. The lock resembles a
traditional flintlock, but the “frizzen” unscrews for
mounting an air reservoir (not included). The lock is
engraved and chiseled with fine designs, including a
mask on the tail, a cherub/putto with bow and arrows
behind the cock, disgorging mask on the cock, the goddess of the
hunt Diana/Artemis in a carriage pulled by deer, and shell and scroll designs.
LOT 1290
Rare Left Handed Engraved, Carved, and Silver Mounted Straight Rifled Flintlock Sporting Gun by
Antoni Gemeiner Owned by Karl August, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach - NSN, 22 bore cal., 25
inch octagon bbl., blue/bright/silver finish, walnut stock. The silver wrist escutcheon has a ducal coronet over
the initials “CA” for Karl August (aka Charles Augustus), Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1757-1828), and
the gun was part of the famous Gewehrkammer at Schloss Ettersburg. The lock is signed “ANTONI GEMEINER”,
and the barrel has “-A-HILDBURGHAUSEN-” in silver inlay on top. Antoni Gemeiner (Gmeiner) Jr. (1746-1816)
is identified as having worked first in Hildburghausen and later in Etabliert beginning in 1775. The tapered
blued barrel has seven-groove straight rifling, a silver blade front sight with silver inlaid decoration at the base, silver inlay
accented scrolls at the breech end, and a bright tang with scroll engraving. The lock has rococo scrollwork as well as a stag
scene. The mounts are silver and feature scroll engraving along with a scene of a dog on the trigger guard, fowl and pair of
deer on the side plate, and putto with a hare on the heel.
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