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After France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian war and
his father’s death in exile in 1873, the Prince Imperial
was declared Napoleon IV by Bonapartist supporters.
He became an officer in the British Royal Artillery and
was killed during the Zulu War in 1879 leading to
conspiracy theories that his death was a plot.
The shotgun features beautiful browned Damascus
barrels by Albert Bernard of Paris with dual gold
inlaid bands at the muzzle and breech, a bead front
sight, gold inlaid oak branches flanking “HOMMAGE
AU PRINCE IMPERIAL” in gold inlay on the concave
rib, the Napoleonic coat of arms on top of each
barrel at the breech, “crown/A-B” maker’s marks on
the underside of each barrel at the breech, “1856”
and “9178” on the underside of the rib, “ALBERT
BERNARD” on the underside of the right barrel,
and “CANONNIER A PARIS” on the underside of the
left barrel. The standing breech has a grooved rear
sight, foliate engraving, and a profile of Napoleon
III in gold inlay. The locks are signed “INVENTION/
FORGET/A GOURNAY” with gold inlaid borders
towards the tails and have fine scroll engraving and
gold inlaid and engraved martial trophy motifs. The
hammers have an interesting design with a small
ball bearing that rides in a channel that allows the
hammers to be rested against the spurs on the
fences if the hammers are lowered with the muzzles
raised creating a more secure resting position, and
the bearings automatically fall downward when the
hammers are cocked to fire. French sources from the
period indicate Pierre-Narcisse Forget applied for a
patent for a firearms improvement on July 31, 1856,
in Gournay-sur-Aronde and on October 7, 1861, he
filed another patent and was noted as an arquebusier
from Beauvais. The trigger guard features a gold
inlaid Napoleonic crown, “NLE” monogram, and star
on the bow and gold inlaid martial trophy motif on
the tang along with engraved foliate scrollwork, and
the blued steel buttplate is further engraved with
foliate scrollwork and a gold inlaid martial trophy
motif. The beautifully figured walnut stock has
checkering at the wrist accented by molding and
relief fleur-de-lis carving. 14 3/8 inch length of pull.
The stock and mid ramrod ferrule have sling swivels.
The baleen ramrod has nickel silver mounts. Included
with the shotgun are cabinet photos of Napoleon III,
Empress Eugenie, and the Prince Imperial.
CONDITION: Excellent with crisp engraving, bright
gold inlays, 98% plus original brown, casehardened,
and blue finish remaining, and minimal light
handling and storage marks. The stock is very fine
and has crisp checkering and carving, minor marks
by the wedge escutcheons, and light handling and
storage wear. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Squier Collection;
Private Collection.
Estimate: 60,000 - 110,000
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