A 18-Bore Spanish Madrid-Lock Sporting Gun

BY ISIDRO SOLER, MADRID, DATED 1797

細節
A 18-Bore Spanish Madrid-Lock Sporting Gun
By Isidro Soler, Madrid, dated 1797
With earlier two-stage barrel (light surface pitting) retained by two spring-held slotted iron bands and with chiselled girdle, gold spider fore-sight, the octagonal breech inlaid with five decorative gold marks and two gold-lined punznes of Nicolas Bis of Madrid (Neue Stckel 59, 65), gold-lined touch-hole, finely engraved tang, signed and dated flat bevelled lock engraved with a martial trophy and foliage against a punched ground and the gold-lined punzn of Isidro Soler (Neue Stckel 1031), fruitwood full stock (fore-end chipped) carved in relief at the barrel tang and with fluted Madrid-style butt, iron mounts engraved with rococo decoration and including scrolled trigger-guard with further gold-lined Soler punzn and chiselled shell finial, and horn-tipped ramrod with worm
37in. (95.2cm.) barrel
Isidro Soler, disciple of Francisco Lpez, was born in the village of Altarriva in 1740-41. Appointed honorary gunsmith to Carlos III in 1776, he is best known for his Compendo histrico de los arcabuceros de Madrid published in 1795. In 1797 he was chosen to care for the personal arms of Carlos IV. During the Peninsular War he was the only one of the four royal gunsmiths to survive, regaining his royal appointment in 1814, until his complete disability in 1818. He died in 1825
Nicolas Bis, appointed gunsmith to Carlos II in 1691, was the first to have his output restricted to royal use. He died in 1726