BY LEOPOLD BECHER, CARLSBAD, CIRCA 1740

Details

A Fine 32-Bore Bohemian Flintlock Fowling-Piece
By Leopold Becher, Carlsbad, circa 1740
With reblued two-stage barrel in the Spanish manner with brass spider fore-sight and chiselled girdle, the breech section with punched gold-damascened decoration and two deeply struck maker's stamps in imitation of those of Egidio Leoni (of Ruosina, Tuscany), shaped tang engraved with scrollwork and the number '2', signed flat bevelled lock finely chiselled in low relief against a fish-roe ground with rococo ornament, a mounted horseman, a martial trophy and a figure holding a pennant, all in the manner of Franz Matzenkopf, moulded figured walnut half-stock finely carved with rococo decoration in relief, the butt with cheek-piece, gilt-brass mounts finely cast and chased in relief on a punched ground with rococo designs involving mounted horsemen, bound captives, a grotesque mask, and scenes of the chase, the decoration on the escutcheon and the tang of the butt-plate executed in high relief, the side-plate decorated with a cavalry skirmish, cast and chased gilt-brass fore-end cap, engraved trigger-plate, iron sling mounts, and brass-tipped ramrod (slight wear to gilding): with a high quality aluminium gun case
377/8in. (96.2cm.) barrel (2)

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

Leopold Becher (recorded circa 1725-50) was undoubtably the most distinguished of the Carlsbad gunmakers. His work is well represented in the major international collections including the Bayerishes Nationalmuseum in Munich, the former Imperial collection in Vienna, the Danish royal collection in Copenhagen, the Musée Royal de l'Armée in Brussels, and the ancestral Gewehrkammern of the Princes Schwarzenberg and Lobkowitz. He was court gunmaker to Duke Johann Georg Christian Lobkowitz at Raudnitz in 1726-7

Both Becher and his contemporary Paul Poser of Prague probably worked in co-operation with the distinguished chiseller Franz Matzenkopf, medal die-cutter at the court of the Prince-Bishops of Salzburg. Locks attributable to Matzenkopf are found on firearms by both makers. For information on these three masters see John Hayward, The Art of the Gunmaker, 1963, vol. II, pp. 129-30, 124, and 125-7

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