BY J.A. WADT, BRONSVIC (BRUNSWICK), THIRD QUARTER OF THE 18TH CENTURY

Details

A RARE GERMAN FLINTLOCK BREAK-ACTION BREECH-LOADING GUN
BY J.A. WADT, BRONSVIC (BRUNSWICK), THIRD QUARTER OF THE 18TH CENTURY
With 35 in. (89 cm.) three-stage swamped barrel engraved with partially silver-inlaid scrollwork around the silver fore-sight and signed 'I.A. WADT A BRONSVIC' within a scrollwork cartouche at the breech, the barrel released by a trigger-type catch in front of the trigger-guard, reloadable iron cartridge with attached priming-pan (steel detached), scroll engraved grooved tang, rounded back-action lock, figured walnut full stock with raised cheek-piece and ornamented with carved scrollwork, iron mounts including pierced scrolling side-plate and engraved trigger-guard, shaped iron escutcheon engraved with a figure of Minerva, dark horn fore-end cap, and incomplete dark horn ramrod
50 ¾ in. (129 cm.) overall

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Lot Essay

J.A. Wadt is noted as working as a gunmaker in Mitau, Latvia in circa 1760. It has been hypothesised that the stock, lock and mounting are English and may have been made by Philip Gandon. In light of the existing receipted accounts for varied gunsmithing works held in the archives at Blair Castle, Gandon was a gunsmith of choice for Duke of Atholl during the 1750s and had mounted other European-sourced barrels for the Duke (see lots 198 and 199).

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