BY PHILIP MÜLLER A VARSOVIE, CIRCA 1760

Details

A Fine Pair Of 17-Bore Polish Wheel-Lock Sporting Rifles
By Philip Müller A Varsovie, circa 1760
With massive octagonal barrels of 'hog's back' form each cut with seven grooves and signed in gold at the breech, at the rear a band of chiselled beadwork between two gold-inlaid lines and a scallop-shell chiselled in low relief on a punched and gilt ground within engraved rococo scrolls and foliage, brass fore-sights, iron back-sights, faceted tangs inlaid respectively in gold 'No. 1' and 'No. 2', flat locks each with enclosed wheel and chiselled in low relief with running rococo ornament on a punched and gilt ground, and each signed within a ribbon carried by an eagle in flight, sliding pan-covers, moulded walnut full stocks (minor chips and bruises) carved in relief with further rococo designs and inlaid opposite the lock with white staghorn panels pierced with scrollwork, indented iron trigger-guards en suite with the locks (one with old repair), sliding patch-box covers inlaid with white staghorn, white staghorn butt-plates inscribed respectively 'No: 5.' and 'No: 6.' and each with iron button, set triggers, white staghorn ramrod-pipes and fore-end caps, and original ramrods each with white staghorn tip (some scattered minor surface pitting)
36in. (91.5cm.) barrels (2)

Provenance

(No. 2 rifle) Th. Fischer and E. Kahlert & Son, Luzern, 2 August 1927, lot 79, plate IX (SFr. 1,200 to Jakobsson)
Major Th. Jakobsson, Stockholm, Sotheby & Co., London, 10 May 1932, lot 16 (£14 to Fenton)
(No. 1 rifle) G.P. Jenkinson, 1970s

Special notice

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

Lot Essay

Philip Müller worked as court gunmaker in Dresden and Warsaw. His production seems to date from 1753 to 1762, but none of his pieces are dated
A very similar pair of rifles is preserved in Dresden (inv. no.s HMD G 458, 468). For other examples of his work, see Dieter Schaal, Katalog Dresdener Büchsenmacher 16.-18.Jh., pp. 120-124

The late owner's handwritten note in the patch-box of No.2 rifle reads: 'I have shot two rabbits with this rifle. It is very accurate. W.K.N.'

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