BY MARCUS LINCK OF PRAGUE, 1675

Details

A BOHEMIAN WHEEL-LOCK SPORTING RIFLE
BY MARCUS LINCK OF PRAGUE, 1675
With blued sighted octagonal barrel, the fore-sight recess surrounded by engraved foliate scrolls, Fixed rearsight (folding leaf broken off) with cut and engraved flower final, lightly chased and engraved breech with a mask and foliate scroll, top flat signed in script Marcus Linck in prag and makers mark ML over a dragon within an escutcheon. Flat gilt brass lock engraved with classical hunting figures including Diana goddess of the hunt and signed in script Marckus Linck in Prag, pierced and engraved dog a flute player over a serpent, pierced and engraved brass bridle (cracked). Fruitwood full stock profusely inlaid with scrolling tendrils and stars, engraved plaques of running hounds, hares and stags, rosettes , St. George and the Dragon, Lucretia, cheekpiece vignette with canopied figure of Mars within a, scrolling vignette surrounded by harpies and heralds, hunting scenes, a crowned double headed eagle, engraved buttplate of a gentleman suitor presenting flowers to a lady and signed FRANTZ SCHNEITER M S.T. INBRAG 1675, forward ramrod pipe probably lost and now replaced with straight bone inlays (one missing), rear ramrod pipe engraved with a mask, patchbox with central push button release (malfunctioning). Gilt brass triggerguard indented for fingers engraved with Diana. Engraved horn tipped wooden ramrod with inlaid spiral bone running its length and iron cleaning tip
A probable interpretation of the signature on the butt is that the stockmaker submitted this work as his Masterpiece (Meisterstück) marking the end of his apprenticeship.

The successful bidder will be responsible for arranging their own shipments or collecting in-person and will be responsible for applicable New York taxes.

Provenance

William Randolph Hearst, St. Donat’s Castle, Wales.
With Leopold Blumka, New York.
Acquired by Russell Barnett Aitken from the above.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

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Lot Essay

This colorful and exuberantly decorated rifle is the work of two little known Bohemian craftsmen working in Prague, the gunmaker Marcus Linck, and stock maker or decorator, Frantz Schneiter. The dense ornament, punctuated overall with balls or dots of white bone, includes the crowned double-headed eagle of the Holy Roman Empire, a reminder that the Habsburg emperors were also Kings of Bohemia. Such fully signed and dated guns are exceptionally rare.

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