THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
A FINE PAIR OF FRENCH ROYAL D.B. 11-BORE PIN-FIRE SPORTING GUNS MADE FOR NAPOLEON'S BROTHER PRINCE JEROME-NAPOLEON BONAPARTE with browned Damascus barrels each encrusted with gold lines and strapwork at the muzzle, vine-leaves at the breech and signed in full in gold letters on the rib, the underside of the dated breeches struck twice with maker's name and mark, blued pivoting cartridge extractors decorated en suite and numbered 1 and 2 in gold, long tangs, signed back-action locks, hammers, actions, fore-ends and under-levers all retaining their original dull grey finish and chiselled in low relief with scrolling vine-leaves against a matted ground, highly figured walnut butts (minor bruising), chequered grips, blued steel mounts chiselled with vine-leaves en suite including trigger-guards encrusted in gold with the owner's crowned monogram, plain sling mounts, and gold escutcheons numbered 1 and 2: each in original brass-mounted rosewood case (one keyhole escutcheon missing, the other escutcheon and one handle loose) lined in green velvet with full accessories including Hawksley leather-covered powder-flasks (one turn-screw missing from each case), the lids decorated with stamped foliage, partly gilt, and stamped in gilt letters 'Devisme Arquebusier Bréveté 36 Boulevart Des Italiens A Paris', the exterior with brass shield-shaped escutcheon engraved with crowned owner's monogram, in very fine condition throughout, by Gastinne Renette Arqr De S.M. L'Empereur A Paris, Nos. 1070 and 1071, dated 1854 29 3/8in. barrels (2)

Details
A FINE PAIR OF FRENCH ROYAL D.B. 11-BORE PIN-FIRE SPORTING GUNS MADE FOR NAPOLEON'S BROTHER PRINCE JEROME-NAPOLEON BONAPARTE with browned Damascus barrels each encrusted with gold lines and strapwork at the muzzle, vine-leaves at the breech and signed in full in gold letters on the rib, the underside of the dated breeches struck twice with maker's name and mark, blued pivoting cartridge extractors decorated en suite and numbered 1 and 2 in gold, long tangs, signed back-action locks, hammers, actions, fore-ends and under-levers all retaining their original dull grey finish and chiselled in low relief with scrolling vine-leaves against a matted ground, highly figured walnut butts (minor bruising), chequered grips, blued steel mounts chiselled with vine-leaves en suite including trigger-guards encrusted in gold with the owner's crowned monogram, plain sling mounts, and gold escutcheons numbered 1 and 2: each in original brass-mounted rosewood case (one keyhole escutcheon missing, the other escutcheon and one handle loose) lined in green velvet with full accessories including Hawksley leather-covered powder-flasks (one turn-screw missing from each case), the lids decorated with stamped foliage, partly gilt, and stamped in gilt letters 'Devisme Arquebusier Bréveté 36 Boulevart Des Italiens A Paris', the exterior with brass shield-shaped escutcheon engraved with crowned owner's monogram, in very fine condition throughout, by Gastinne Renette Arqr De S.M. L'Empereur A Paris, Nos. 1070 and 1071, dated 1854
29 3/8in. barrels (2)
Provenance
His Imperial Highness Prince Napoleon, Villa Pragins, 3 November, 1950, lot 817 (illustrated)

Lot Essay

Jérôme-Napoleon Bonaparte, the youngest of Napoleon Bonaparte's five brothers, was born at Ajaccio on 15 November, 1784. He joined the navy in November, 1800 and, on 24 December, 1803 as a lieutenant in America, he married Elisa Paterson the daughter of a Baltimore merchant. The marriage was never recognised by the Emperor and was declared null on 21 March, 1805. Quickly promoted during 1805, he became a rear admiral in September, 1806, and was created Prince on 1 November of the same year. He was transfered to the army and was promoted divisional general on 14 March, 1807, and named Grand Elector. Following the treaty of Tilsit (7 July, 1807) he was granted the Kingdom of Westphalia with Cassel as its capital. The following August, in Paris, he married Frederica-Catherine-Sophie-Dorothea daughter of the King of Westphalia. Due to the defeats inflicted on Napoleon he left his Kingdom on 26 October, 1813 and went to Switzerland. He returned to France on Napoleon's return and was named a member of the Chamber of Peers on 4 June, 1815, took part in the battle of Waterloo where he was wounded, and was detained by his father-in-law with whom he sought refuge. In 1816, using the title Prince of Montfort, he left Germany and went to Austria to his sister Queen Caroline, then to Trieste (1819), Rome (1823), Florence (1831), and Lausanne where his wife died in 1835. Allowed by Louis-Philippe to reside in Paris in 1847 Jérôme was given the rights of a French citizen, resumed his role as a general, and was named governor of Les Invalides on 23 December, 1848. He was created Marshal of France on 1 January, 1850 and President of the Senate by Napoleon III on 28 January, 1852, which he resigned soon after. Jérôme died on 24 June, 1860 at the Chateau of Villegenis near Massy

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