SIGNED A. SIEBE, CIRCA 1820

细节

A Very Rare 17-Bore Breech-Loading Flintlock Gun
Signed A. Siebe, circa 1820
With tapering multi-staged browned twist barrel (surface pitted) with rotating rear section mounted with a spring-loaded folding lever on the left side allowing the barrel to slide forward for removal and releasing the upward-pivoting chamber, the chamber octagonal then sixteen-sided and signed 'A. Siebe' in Gothic script within a panel of foliated scrollwork inhabited by a bird, silver fore-sight, platinum-lined touch-hole, signed case-hardened flat bevelled lock engraved en suite with the chamber and with roller, fluted rainproof pan with large applied shield over the touch-hole, stepped tail, and 'French' cock, figured walnut half-stock (minor bruises), chequered grip, cheek-piece, engraved iron mounts with traces of original blued finish, trigger-plate with pineapple finial, and silver escutcheon, London proof marks
31½in. (80cm.) barrel

出版

Robert Henry Davis, A Brief Personal Record of the Firm of Siebe, Gorman & Co., 1819-1957, Leicester, 1957 (for private circulation), p. 7, plates 1-6

注意事项

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

拍品专文

Augustus Siebe (1788-1872), an Austrian instrument maker, came to England in 1816 and in 1819 started up a business at 145 High Holborn to manufacture paper-making and screw-cutting machines, an arc lamp and a weighing machine. In 1837 he produced the first enclosed rubber diving suit, the basis of its modern counterpart. Subsequently the Siebe, Gorman Company was instrumental in the development of early submarines, deep diving breathing apparatus and gas masks. Siebe, Gorman & Co. was taken over in 1961
The construction of the breech-loading system on the present gun is close to Urbanus Sartoris' British patents of 11 March 1817 (No. 4107), and 23 January 1819 (No. 4336). Siebe did not hold any patents relating to firearms, and the present gun seems to be the only one known bearing his signature