Details
A rare 22-bore Bohemian break-action breech-loading flintlock sporting rifle
by Paul Poser, Prague, circa 1720-25
With swamped octagonal vertically hinged sighted barrel cut with seven grooves and signed in gold between silver scrollwork at the breech, inlaid with a silver band at the rear, and with a later (?) signed reloadable iron cartridge numbered '4' and fitted with pan and steel, engraved faceted tang, bevelled back-action lock chiselled in low relief with a boar hunt in a wooded landscape on a punched ground (cock an old replacent), moulded figured walnut full stock carved in relief with a grotesque mask behind the rear ramrod-pipe and with foliage at the barrel tang, and inlaid with silver wire scrolls, and a bird, flowerheads and animals in silver sheet, shaped iron mounts engraved with scrollwork, escutcheon with coronet above and engraved with a coat-of-arms, iron release catch through the front of the trigger-guard, shaped wooden trigger-guard tang, engraved octagonal ramrod-pipes, iron sling mounts, horn fore-end cap, and later horn-tipped ramrod
26in. (66cm.) barrel
Literature
Paul Duffy, 'Flintlock Breech Loading Sporting Rifle', Arms Cavalcade, Vol. I, No. 1 (January 1996), pp. 8-9, 16, and cover illustrations
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