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LOT 3239
Exhibition Quality German Silver Mounted, Engraved, and Relief Carved Full-Stock Oval Bore Percussion Sporting Rifle by Morgenroth of Gernrode - NSN, 65 cal., 29 1/2 inch part octagon bbl., blue/casehardened/bright finish, walnut stock. This mid-19th century Germanic rifle was manufactured Morgenroth in what is now Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Based on the wrist escutcheon, it appears to have been made for Alexander Charles, Duke of Anhalt-Bernburg. The barrel has “MORGENROTH IN GERNRODE” in raised German silver inlay on the top flat, elaborate patterns along its length, blade and notch sights, and a German silver doe at the breech. There is a decorative German silver barrel band engraved with a reposed deer on top and featuring pierced floral designs on the sides and scrollwork on the bottom. The lock has a pivoting hammer stall, acanthus scrollwork, and border engraving, and it is tripped by adjustable double set triggers. The furniture is all German silver and features primarily scrollwork as well as a dog or other canine on the buttplate tang and a dog and bird on the trigger guard bow. The wrist has a German silver escutcheon with a ducal coronet and inscribed “C.” The stock has a horn cap, pin accented checkering with carved borders, raised relief dogs over a rabbit/hare and fowl above the wrist inlay, a stag head and laurel on the patch box lid, incised leaf carving around the butt, and finely detailed raised and relief carved scenes of a dog (with German silver collar) attacking a boar under the cheek rest and subduing a stag behind the cheek rest accented by scrollwork. CONDITION: Fine with traces of original blue blended with dark patina along the barrel which has distinct patterns and minor wear, faded case colors mixed with dark patina on the lock, light aged patina on the German silver throughout, distinct engraving and inlay patterns, and minor overall wear. The stock is also fine and has distinct checkering and carving, piece missing and minor repair on the forend cap, and mostly only scattered mild dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. Overall, this is a very attractive and distinctive German sporting gun with particularly interesting oval bore. Estimate: 5,000 - 8,500
foliate decoration. Double set triggers within a plain iron trigger guard shaped for the fingers. Figured walnut three quarter length stock with raised cheekpiece carved with foliage behind, and shaped checkered panels at the grip. Blued screw fit button behind the trigger guard, iron sling mounts and original iron ramrod.
CONDITION: Fine. The barrel retains 95% rebrowned finish with clear signature. The remaining iron parts are bright with clear engraved decoration throughout, some dull age related discoloration and surface spotting evident on plain surfaces. Stock has numerous minor age related storage and handling blemishes and marks, a setting crack is evident on the butt and what appears to be a repaired crack at the wrist. Overall an attractive example of a classic Swiss percussion target rifle.
Estimate: 3,750 - 5,000
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LOT 3240
Gold & Silver Inlaid Swiss Percussion Target Rifle by J.J. Schlaepfer in Glarus
with Relief Carved Stock - NSN, 10 mm cal., 33 inch part octagon bbl., gold/brown/
blue finish, walnut stock. Manufactured circa 1850. With browned round barrel with octagonal
breech section, signed “J.J. SCHLÄEPFER IN GLARUS” at the mid point, inlaid with gold bands at
the breech and muzzle, fitted with a socket for a bayonet on the right side of the muzzle, a dovetailed tunnel bead
front sight and a blued adjustable tangent rear sight graduated to 1,000 meters. Foliate engraved patent breech with gold
inlaid signature “J. STAUB/WADENSCHWEIL” on the upper surface. False breech with long tang fitted with an aperture target sight, floating island side lock, trigger plate, forearm cap, barrel keys and hooked buttplate all engraved with further