Lot Essay
The late owner's hand-written notes (of 1954) in the butt-trap give loading and aiming instructions for this rifle, as well as details of its provenance
Details
A 38-BORE FLINTLOCK PARK RIFLE
CIRCA 1780, ALMOST CERTAINLY BY GRIFFIN & TOW, LONDON
Incorporating earlier parts, with lightly swamped browned octagonal sighted German barrel cut with eight rectangular grooves, the breech dated 1672, struck with initials MF (Neue Støckel 3912), and with brass fore-sight and gold-lined touch-hole, plain case-hardened tang retained by two screws, faceted detented German lock (cock an old working replacement), figured walnut full stock carved in relief with shells at the barrel tang, cheek-piece, take-down fore-end (repaired), blued iron mounts including earlier German trigger-guard and ramrod-pipe, blued butt-plate with butt-trap (for a plug-bayonet) and hinged cover, earlier German set trigger, white horn side-nail washers and fore-end cap, and horn-tipped ramrod
33in. barrel
CIRCA 1780, ALMOST CERTAINLY BY GRIFFIN & TOW, LONDON
Incorporating earlier parts, with lightly swamped browned octagonal sighted German barrel cut with eight rectangular grooves, the breech dated 1672, struck with initials MF (Neue Støckel 3912), and with brass fore-sight and gold-lined touch-hole, plain case-hardened tang retained by two screws, faceted detented German lock (cock an old working replacement), figured walnut full stock carved in relief with shells at the barrel tang, cheek-piece, take-down fore-end (repaired), blued iron mounts including earlier German trigger-guard and ramrod-pipe, blued butt-plate with butt-trap (for a plug-bayonet) and hinged cover, earlier German set trigger, white horn side-nail washers and fore-end cap, and horn-tipped ramrod
33in. barrel
Provenance
Wootton Wawen House, Warwickshire (near Packington Hall), 1951. Perhaps made for Lord Aylesford of Packington Hall. For the Packington gun cabinet see W. Keith Neal & D.H.L. Back, Great British Gunmakers 1740-1790, pp. 21-44, plates 1-91