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LOT 3237
Ornate Flintlock Fowling Piece by Froment of Erlangen Inscribed with the Coat of Arms of a German Prince - NSN, 11 gauge, 46 1/2 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. This rifle by Pierre Froment of Erlang in Bavaria north of Nuremberg in the first half of the 18th century has a silver wrist escutcheon engraved with the coat of arms of the House of Oettingen or one of its branches based from Schloss Oettingen in Oettingen in Bayern in Bavaria south of Erlang. In addition to the normal aspects of the coat of arms, there are books by the dog supporters’ feet and an elephant at the bottom. The latter may relate to the House of Helfenstein. It may have been made for Prince Franz Albrecht I (1663–1737) or Prince Johann Aloys I (1707–1780) of Oettingen-Spielberg. There is also a brass “HL/81” tag on the bottom of the buttstock. The long smoothbore barrel has a brass blade front sight, long sighting flat with scroll real finial, raised scroll design ahead of the breech, a rear rib engraved with a musketeer, and dished tang. The “banana” profile lock is signed “Froment A Erlang” along the bottom and has light scroll engraving, a mask cock screw, and filework on the tail. The iron furniture is decorated with scroll patterns, grotesque masks, and mythical beasts and includes attractive piercings. The full-length stock has raised molding and flats, some inlaid wire scroll elements, and a fairly robust butt.
CONDITION: Very good with silver-gray patina, mostly crisp engraving and markings, a repaired lower jaw of the cock, a replacement frizzen, and generally minor overall wear. The refinished stock is good and has most of the inlays absent, some cracks and repairs mainly in the butt, and moderate overall surface wear. Mechanically fine. Overall, a very attractive hunting gun certainly suitable for a prince’s armory.
Provenance: The Tom Lew
Estimate: 5,000 - 8,500
is Collection.
LOT 3238
Ornate Early Half-Stock Flintlock Fowling Piece by Jacob Koch of Vienna - NSN, 16 gauge, 46 1/4 inch part octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This long smoothbore hunting gun is signed “IACOP” behind the cock and “KOCH IN WEINN” between the cock and pan, and the barrel
has a “I-K” and animal maker’s mark. Jacob Koch of Vienna is listed in “Der Neue Stockel” as active c. 1679-1702. The two-stage barrel has a lightly flared muzzle, brass blade front sight, and bands at the transition point. The lock is engraved with birds and scroll patterns. The furniture is brass and has scroll patterns, bestial masks, a figure on the pierced sideplate, coronet on top of the wrist escutcheon which has a male bust and a mask, and a pair of men in a sword duel on the heel. An “HL/57” inventory tag is on the bottom behind the trigger guard. The stock has a horn forend cap nicely shaped tear drop flats, raised relief floral carving around the barrel tang, and nice molding.
CONDITION: Very good with most of a smooth refinished matte blue on the lock and barrel, aged patina on the furniture, some small cracks and chips on the sideplate, and general mild overall wear. The refinished stock is also very good and some flakes around the furniture, crisp carving, and mild wear. Mechanically fine.
Provenance: The Tom Lewis Collection.
Estimate: 4,750 - 7,000