Lot Essay
The signature appears on a pair of similar rifles sold in these Rooms on 22 July 1992, lot 138
Details
A RARE 140-BORE BALTIC SNAP-LOCK BIRDING RIFLE
SIGNED GEORGI GRATIN, LATE 17TH CENTURY
With sighted two-stage brass barrel polygonal over most of its length, rifled with eight grooves and engraved with scrolling foliage on the breech and brass tang, signed flat brass lock (top jaw and screw replaced) engraved with hatched scrolls and foliage and with engraved brass cover to the steel-spring, swing-out safety-steel, stained full stock inlaid with interlaced scrolls in brass wire enriched with brass nails, the butt with patch-box cover beneath, pierced scrolled brass side-plates involving two monster-heads, faceted brass trigger-guard, border engraved brass butt-plate, set trigger, brass trigger-plate, engraved brass fore-end cap, and original horn-tipped ramrod
24½in. barrel
SIGNED GEORGI GRATIN, LATE 17TH CENTURY
With sighted two-stage brass barrel polygonal over most of its length, rifled with eight grooves and engraved with scrolling foliage on the breech and brass tang, signed flat brass lock (top jaw and screw replaced) engraved with hatched scrolls and foliage and with engraved brass cover to the steel-spring, swing-out safety-steel, stained full stock inlaid with interlaced scrolls in brass wire enriched with brass nails, the butt with patch-box cover beneath, pierced scrolled brass side-plates involving two monster-heads, faceted brass trigger-guard, border engraved brass butt-plate, set trigger, brass trigger-plate, engraved brass fore-end cap, and original horn-tipped ramrod
24½in. barrel