Lot 191
191
A VERY RARE 15-BORE DOUBLE-IGNITION FLINTLOCK FOWLING-PIECE with twist sighted barrel inscribed 'Gun Maker to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales' within the sighting groove at the breech and engraved with a sunburst beyond, case-hardened patent breech with two gold lines, gold-lined maker's stamp, and a gold-lined touch-hole on each side, engraved grooved tang, flat bevelled Baker patent locks constructed so as to cock in unison and each with roller, gold-lined maker's stamp, pierced cock (one top jaw and screw replaced), rainproof pan, and flash-shield on the steel, figured walnut half-stock (section of fore-end replaced), engraved iron mounts including trigger-guard with pineapple finial, silver barrel-bolt escutcheons and fore-end cap, chequered grip, and later brass-tipped ramrod (cracked), by Ezekiel Baker, London, No. 1276, early 19th Century

Details
A VERY RARE 15-BORE DOUBLE-IGNITION FLINTLOCK FOWLING-PIECE with twist sighted barrel inscribed 'Gun Maker to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales' within the sighting groove at the breech and engraved with a sunburst beyond, case-hardened patent breech with two gold lines, gold-lined maker's stamp, and a gold-lined touch-hole on each side, engraved grooved tang, flat bevelled Baker patent locks constructed so as to cock in unison and each with roller, gold-lined maker's stamp, pierced cock (one top jaw and screw replaced), rainproof pan, and flash-shield on the steel, figured walnut half-stock (section of fore-end replaced), engraved iron mounts including trigger-guard with pineapple finial, silver barrel-bolt escutcheons and fore-end cap, chequered grip, and later brass-tipped ramrod (cracked), by Ezekiel Baker, London, No. 1276, early 19th Century
34¼in. barrel

Lot Essay

This is one of a very limited number of such double-ignition guns by Baker. Further examples are at Windsor (Laking, No. 265) and in the W. Keith Neal collection, each with gold escutcheon engraved with the Prince of Wales' feathers. The former was acquired from the maker in 1809

The Prince of Wales (Prince Regent in 1811 and King George IV in 1820) was an active patron of Ezekiel Baker, who spent much time shooting with the Prince, and sold him many firearms mostly now at Windsor
See G.F. Laking, The Armoury of Windsor Castle, p. 85

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