BY LEWIS (LOUIS) BARBAR, LONDON, CIRCA 1705

Details

A Fine 16-Bore Flintlock Sporting Gun
By Lewis (Louis) Barbar, London, circa 1705
With tapering sighted barrel in four stages divided by raised mouldings, the rear two grooved for sighting, signed 'Barbar Londini' on the breech and lightly belled at the muzzle, border engraved tang, signed border engraved rounded lock, moulded figured walnut full stock (chipped and bruised, fore-end a working replacement) with raised moulding at the barrel tang and carved with foliage behind the rear ramrod-pipe, chiselled iron mounts comprising pierced side-plate of Simonin pattern book inspiration involving monster-heads, engraved butt-plate inscribed 'No 3' and with long tang, trigger-guard with foliate finials, and escutcheon with grotesque mask above, baluster ramrod-pipes, and iron-capped ramrod, probably original, London proof marks
44¾in. (113.7cm.) barrel

Literature

W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back, Great British Gunmakers 1540-1740, p. 291, plates 113a-d, and colour plate XXIII

Exhibited

The British Sporting Exhibition at the Imperial Institute, South Kensington, 14-30 January 1938, cat. no. 15

Special notice

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

Lot Essay

Louis 1 Barbar (d. 1741), a French Protestant, born in Essendun, Poitou, came to London circa 1688 to avoid persecution, and was naturalised in 1700. In 1704 he was made free of the Gunmakers' Company, and his proof piece ('a very fine piece') was passed. He was appointed Gentleman Armourer to King George I in 1717, and to George II in 1727

Today the largest group of firearms by Lewis Barbar is preserved in the armoury of the Duke of Buccleuch at Boughton House. They were made to the order of John, 2nd Duke of Montagu (1709-49), who was Master General of Ordnance from 1740 to 1749. The accounts at Boughton record payments to Barbar which include '£150 for 200 Muskets', and a letter of 7 June 1718 to the 2nd Duke of Montagu from his vicar mentions that Barbar was responsible for the display of the firearms at Boughton at that date

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