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LOT 3300
Finely Engraved Dreyse Metallic Cartridge Centerfire Bolt Action Sporting Rifle with Royal Monogrammed Plaque - Serial no.
27400, 10 mm cal., 27 1/2 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. The cartridge loading Dreyse bolt action rifle was a revolutionary step in small arms development. Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse’s (1787-1867) design was adopted by the Prussian army in 1841 as a needlefire using paper contained cartridges, and sporting variants followed soon thereafter, with this example being chambered for use with metallic centerfire cartridges. These Dreyse sporting rifles are among the first modern bolt action sporting rifles. The barrel has a pair of silver bands at the muzzle, an adjustable winged post front sight, empty rear sight dovetail, and “F. v. DREYSE SÖMMERDA” in silver towards the breech. The former indicates it was manufactured under Franz von Dreyse (1822 -1894), the son of the needlefire gun inventor. The receiver has “PATENT” in silver inlay on top and scroll engraving. The rifle is equipped with adjustable double set triggers and has floral scroll engraved furniture, including a nicely sculpted scrolling trigger guard and single
hook buttplate. The wrist has a golden “furstenkrone/FW” monogram suggesting the rifle was made
for a German prince. The Schnabel tip half-stock has a multi-point checkered
wrist and large cheekpiece.
CONDITION: Fine with 50% plus of the original plum blue finish remaining, mostly silver-gray patina
on the bolt and furniture, some minor oxidation, general light scratches and minor marks, and
mild overall wear. The stock is also fine and has some worn spots in the otherwise crisp checkering,
scattered dings and scratches, and general mild overall wear. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Collection of Joe M. Wanenmacher Jr.
190 Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
LOT 3299
Exceptional Exhibition Quality Panel Scene Deep Relief
Chiseled and Relief Carved German Schuetzen Rifle by
Ignaz Kowar of Amberg - NSN, 8 mm cal., 30 inch ribbed bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. Ignaz Kowar was the royal
gunsmith for the Bavarian court and also a founding member and Federal Schützenmeister of the Upper Palatinate Rifle Association. Features an adjustable winged post front sight, “JGNAZ KOWAR AMBERG” and a geometric
motif in gold inlay on the breech section, large diopter type peep sight mounted in the integral base on the upper
tang, the “crown/V” proof (on-hand pre-March 1893), blackleaf scrollwork engraving flanking Renaissance Revival type scenes on each side
of the action, thumb trigger and double set triggers, carved dog head with yellow glass eyes on the forend tip, relief carved blackleaf scrollwork on the forend
and buttstock, Renaissance Revival scenes on the sides of the buttstock, large Tyrolean cheek rest, and engraved Swiss style buttplate.
CONDITION: Fine overall with 85% plus original blue finish, distinct original gold inlays, strong original case colors on the trigger plate, subtler original case colors elsewhere,
surface oxidation concentrated on the buttplate, crisp engraving and carving, a few minor dings and scrapes, and attractive figure on the buttstock. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 5,500 - 7,500