Lot Essay
The initials A.E. are possibly those of Arthur Ernest, second son of Queen Victoria, Duke of Edinburgh, and afterwards Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Details
A CASED 15-BORE BOHEMIAN D.B. PERCUSSION SPORTING GUN
BY ANTON VINCENT LEBEDA, PRAGUE, NO. 1131, DATED 1834
With browned twist barrels with silver fore-sight set in a gold-inlaid star and signed in gold on the rib, and engraved and inlaid with gold and platinum decoration at the rear, engraved case-hardened patent breeches chiselled with a gilt game bird at the centre within a gold oval and with pierced platinum plugs, long dated case-hardened tang finely engraved with a grotesque mask, scrolls, and foliage all heightened with gold and chiselled in relief with the figure of a sportsman in a mountainous landscape within a gold oval, small scroll engraved case-hardened locks signed in gold and each with blued safety-catch behind the hammer, walnut half-stock, chequered grip, cheek-piece, engraved blued iron mounts chiselled in relief with game, silver escutcheon engraved with crowned owner's initials A.E., engraved silver barrel-bolt escutcheons, set trigger for the right barrel, brass-tipped ramrod, and some original finish: in original lined and fitted mahogany case for a pair of guns each with two sets of barrels, with original powder- and shot-measure, and bullet mould, a patch-cutter, original sling, and a maker's trade card
27¾in. barrels
BY ANTON VINCENT LEBEDA, PRAGUE, NO. 1131, DATED 1834
With browned twist barrels with silver fore-sight set in a gold-inlaid star and signed in gold on the rib, and engraved and inlaid with gold and platinum decoration at the rear, engraved case-hardened patent breeches chiselled with a gilt game bird at the centre within a gold oval and with pierced platinum plugs, long dated case-hardened tang finely engraved with a grotesque mask, scrolls, and foliage all heightened with gold and chiselled in relief with the figure of a sportsman in a mountainous landscape within a gold oval, small scroll engraved case-hardened locks signed in gold and each with blued safety-catch behind the hammer, walnut half-stock, chequered grip, cheek-piece, engraved blued iron mounts chiselled in relief with game, silver escutcheon engraved with crowned owner's initials A.E., engraved silver barrel-bolt escutcheons, set trigger for the right barrel, brass-tipped ramrod, and some original finish: in original lined and fitted mahogany case for a pair of guns each with two sets of barrels, with original powder- and shot-measure, and bullet mould, a patch-cutter, original sling, and a maker's trade card
27¾in. barrels
Provenance
ibid, Lot 143