Lot Essay
Cf. a very similar rifle in the Royal Armouries, but with iron mounts (XII-1459)
Details
A 16-BORE SILVER-MOUNTED FLINTLOCK SPORTING RIFLE
BY HENRY NOCK, LONDON, NO. 4059, LONDON SILVER HALLMARKS FOR 1800
With swamped rebrowned twist octagonal sighted barrel cut with seven grooves, later fore-sight, back-sight with single folding leaf, case-hardened patent breech with gold-lined oval maker's stamp, gold line and gold-lined touch-hole, finely engraved tang, lightly engraved serial numbered bevelled lock with stepped tail engraved with a dog, and fitted with roller and rainproof pan, gold-lined oval maker's stamp, the inside retaining some original blued finish, figured walnut half-stock (fore-end cracked and repaired), chequered grip, cheek-piece, silver mounts engraved with foliage and sporting dogs in landscapes, the trigger-guard with scrolled tang and engraved finial in the form of a pineapple issuing from an urn, silver fore-end cap, rear ramrod-pipe and barrel-bolt escutcheons, set trigger, and horn-tipped ramrod, London proof marks, silver maker's mark of Moses Brent
30in. (76.3cm.) barrel
BY HENRY NOCK, LONDON, NO. 4059, LONDON SILVER HALLMARKS FOR 1800
With swamped rebrowned twist octagonal sighted barrel cut with seven grooves, later fore-sight, back-sight with single folding leaf, case-hardened patent breech with gold-lined oval maker's stamp, gold line and gold-lined touch-hole, finely engraved tang, lightly engraved serial numbered bevelled lock with stepped tail engraved with a dog, and fitted with roller and rainproof pan, gold-lined oval maker's stamp, the inside retaining some original blued finish, figured walnut half-stock (fore-end cracked and repaired), chequered grip, cheek-piece, silver mounts engraved with foliage and sporting dogs in landscapes, the trigger-guard with scrolled tang and engraved finial in the form of a pineapple issuing from an urn, silver fore-end cap, rear ramrod-pipe and barrel-bolt escutcheons, set trigger, and horn-tipped ramrod, London proof marks, silver maker's mark of Moses Brent
30in. (76.3cm.) barrel