Page 270 - 4095-BOOK3

LOT 3316
Elaborate Engraved and Carved Flintlock Sporting Gun
by Hess of Zweibrucken - NSN, 20 gauge, 41 1/2 inch part octagon bbl., blue/gold/bright finish,
walnut stock. This classic French influenced sporting gun from Hess of Zweibrucken (Deux-Ponts)
in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, dates to c. 1760 and is delicately signed “HESS A/ZWEYBRUCKEN”
on the lock and more boldly “HESS A ZWEYBRUCKEN” in raised gold lettering on
the barrel. See the previous lot for another Hess gun from the Norman R. Blank
Collection. The smoothbore barrel is fire blued with gold markings, scrollwork,
bands, and vent liner as well as a rounded silver blade front sight and full length
sighting flat. The flat beveled lock has a bridled priming pan and mix of chiseling
and engraving with gilt backgrounds. The bright steel mounts are engraved with
foliate and hunting related motifs. The 3/4 length stock has fine molding, scroll
carving, and a cheekpiece. The ramrod has a horn tip. Notes from the Norman R.
Blank Collection indicate this gun came from Jagdschloss Kranichstein and that W.
Keith Neal purchased it through Hans Schedelmann on August 16, 1959. Blank also
purchased other guns from the collection. Jagdschloss Kranichstein had belonged
to the Landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt and Grand Dukes of Hesse. The last Grand Duke
consolidated the arms collection at Jagdschloss Kranichstein in 1917. A certificate of
authenticity filled out for Mr. Blank by F. Theodore Dexter is included.
LOT 3315
Very Fine Engraved, Carved, and Gold Inlaid Flintlock Gun by Hess of Deux-
Ponts with Extremely Rare Triangular Barrel and Bore - NSN, 67 cal., 38 inch
triangular bbl., bright/gold finish, walnut stock. This rare gun by Johann Daniel
Hess (1713-1791) of Deux-Ponts (Zweibrucken) in present day western Germany
dates to c. 1740 and features a triangular shaped barrel with a triangular bore. The
bore is straight and smooth and measures approximately .67 from the top corner
to the bottom and across the lower corners. The barrel has a rounded brass blade
front sight, sighting flat, and “C.17.” engraved on the tang. The flat beveled lock is
signed “HESS/A DEVXPONTS” and features a faceted pan, bird and scroll engraving
with gilt backgrounds, and wavy line borders. The mounts are similarly engraved.
The buttplate has a coat of arms at the heel and a star and “173” on the butt. The
stock has molding, scroll carving, a rectangular cheekpiece with a leather pad with
silver lace trim, and a 14 inch length of pull. A certificate of authenticity filled out
for Norman R. Blank by F. Theodore Dexter is included. Another gun by Hess also
from the Norman R. Blank Collection is featured in the next lot.
268 268