Lot Essay
See footnote to lot 187
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BY JAMES FREEMAN, JR., LONDON, CIRCA 1740
Details
An 18-Bore Flintlock Sporting Gun
By James Freeman, Jr., London, circa 1740
With swamped two-stage barrel, turned girdle, and silver fore-sight, the breech with two gold-lined stamps (worn), perhaps of Cristiano Leoni of Pistoia (Neue Støckel 7774 and 7775), shaped engraved grooved tang, signed rounded lock with safety-catch and moulded border, the pan with water-drains, the base of the pan-cover hollowed out to conform with the top of the pan, moulded figured walnut half-stock (minor bruising) carved in relief with a shell behind the barrel tang, engraved iron mounts including rounded fore-end cap, trigger-guard with chiselled foliate finial, pierced side-plate finely chiselled in relief with foliage, chiselled escutcheon, two silver ramrod-pipes, and later horn-tipped ramrod (some surface pitting, mainly at the touch-hole, and around the pan)
46in. (116.8cm.) barrel
By James Freeman, Jr., London, circa 1740
With swamped two-stage barrel, turned girdle, and silver fore-sight, the breech with two gold-lined stamps (worn), perhaps of Cristiano Leoni of Pistoia (Neue Støckel 7774 and 7775), shaped engraved grooved tang, signed rounded lock with safety-catch and moulded border, the pan with water-drains, the base of the pan-cover hollowed out to conform with the top of the pan, moulded figured walnut half-stock (minor bruising) carved in relief with a shell behind the barrel tang, engraved iron mounts including rounded fore-end cap, trigger-guard with chiselled foliate finial, pierced side-plate finely chiselled in relief with foliage, chiselled escutcheon, two silver ramrod-pipes, and later horn-tipped ramrod (some surface pitting, mainly at the touch-hole, and around the pan)
46in. (116.8cm.) barrel
Provenance
The Shirley family, Ettington Park (previously Lower Eatington Hall, before being rebuilt in 1853), near Stratford-upon-Avon
Literature
W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back, Great British Gunmakers 1540-1740, p. 421, plates 181 a, b
Special notice
VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.