BY GRIFFIN & TOW, LONDON, CIRCA 1780

Details

A Fine 21-Bore D.B. Flintlock Sporting Gun
By Griffin & Tow, London, circa 1780
With French barrels with top rib only, decorated with gilt floral designs at the breeches and with silver fore-sight, gold-lined touch-holes, grooved case-hardened tang finely engraved with flowers and scrolls on a hatched ground, signed case-hardened flat locks engraved en suite and each with moulded border, roller, and stepped tail, figured walnut half-stock (minor chips) carved in relief with shells at the barrel tang, boldly chequered grip with a dimple in the centre of each diamond, finely engraved iron mounts retaining traces of original blued finish, the trigger-guard with second pattern acorn finial matched by another on the ramrod tail-pipe, and horn-tipped ramrod with worm (left cock expertly replaced)
34in. (86.4cm.) barrels

Provenance

The Marquess of Zetland, Aske, Nr. Richmond, Yorkshire (anon. sale, Sotheby & Co., London, 20 December 1977, lot 234 - £1,815 including premium)

Literature

W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back, Messrs Griffin & Tow and W. Bailes, pp. 89-90, plates 33a-c

Special notice

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

Lot Essay

Almost certainly made for Sir Lawrence Dundas, Bt. (d. 1781), "The Nabob of the North", patron of Robert Adam, Thomas Chippendale, Pierre Langlois and Johann Zoffany, to whom the Dundas armchairs, sofas and commodes (sold in these Rooms, 3 July 1997) were supplied

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