BY JOHN MANTON, LONDON, CIRCA 1785

Details

A Fine Cased 22-Bore Early D.B. Flintlock Sporting Gun
By John Manton, London, circa 1785
With rebrowned twist barrels signed 'Manton London' reading towards the breeches, each breech with broad gold line and large gold-lined touch-hole, grooved case-hardened tang finely engraved with flowers, foliage, and a basket, signed case-hardened locks each with moulded border, safety-catch, stepped tail, roller, blued steel-spring, gold-lined semi-rainproof pan, and original blued finish on the internal working parts, unchequered figured walnut half-stock (minor bruising), finely engraved blued iron mounts including trigger-guard with large pineapple finial, bulbous ramrod tail-pipe, short front trigger, iron sling mounts, silver escutcheon engraved with owner's coronet, crest, and motto, horn-tipped ramrod with worm, and some original finish: in lined and fitted brass-bound mahogany case (some internal damage and restoration) with numerous accessories, the lid (minor cracks) with later trade label for circa 1798-1815, fastening hooks of early type, and large circular brass escutcheon with integral flush-fitting carrying handle, London proof marks
34in. (86.4cm.) barrels

Provenance

Probably Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of Hamilton (1756-99)

Literature

W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back, The Mantons: Gunmakers, pp. 15, 60, plates 35, 36
D.H.L. Back, The Mantons 1782-1878, p. 15, plates 33a-b

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

This is the earliest recorded double-barrelled gun by either of the Manton brothers

The 8th Duke of Hamilton, second son of the 6th Duke and his wife Elizabeth, succeeded his brother in 1769, and was fond of boxing and low company. The Biographical Index of the House of Lords says of him: 'This nobleman was one of the handsomest men of his day, but having allowed himself to be led astray by the spirit of dissipation, his health was gradually undermined and he died in 1799 in the flower of his age'. He died at Hamilton Palace

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