THE BARREL AND LOCK BY JUAN FERNANDEZ, MADRID, DATED 1715
Details
A Highly Unusual 16-Bore Spanish Roman-Lock Sporting Gun
The barrel and lock by Juan Fernandez, Madrid, dated 1715
With two-stage barrel (light surface pitting, fore-sight missing) retained by spring-held slotted iron bands (one replaced), the octagonal breech section with pierced and chiselled iron ring back-sight, inlaid with gold scrollwork and the gold-inlaid signature 'Iuan Fernandez En Madrid Año De 1715' and stamped with four gold-lined decorative marks above the two gold-lined maker's punzónes (Neue Støckel 369, 370), gold breech line and gold-lined touch-hole, engraved tang, signed and dated lock with chiselled details, engraved with a martial trophy on the tail and with further punzón (gold lining missing), figured full stock (fore-end chipped and cracked) carved in relief at the barrel tang and with fluted Madrid-style butt, iron mounts engraved with rococo decoration including scrolled trigger-guard with gold-lined punzón of Francisco Antonio Garcia of Madrid (Neue Støckel 7461), and horn-tipped wooden ramrod
41¼in. (104.7cm.) barrel
Juan Fernández, a student of Alonso Martínez, replaced Nicolás Bis as gunsmith to Felipe V in 1726, and died in 1739, having taught Manuel Sutil, Joseph Cano, Joaquín Celaya, and Joseph López.
García, a student of Francisco López, was gunsmith to Carlos III and Carlos IV. He died in 1792
The barrel and lock by Juan Fernandez, Madrid, dated 1715
With two-stage barrel (light surface pitting, fore-sight missing) retained by spring-held slotted iron bands (one replaced), the octagonal breech section with pierced and chiselled iron ring back-sight, inlaid with gold scrollwork and the gold-inlaid signature 'Iuan Fernandez En Madrid Año De 1715' and stamped with four gold-lined decorative marks above the two gold-lined maker's punzónes (Neue Støckel 369, 370), gold breech line and gold-lined touch-hole, engraved tang, signed and dated lock with chiselled details, engraved with a martial trophy on the tail and with further punzón (gold lining missing), figured full stock (fore-end chipped and cracked) carved in relief at the barrel tang and with fluted Madrid-style butt, iron mounts engraved with rococo decoration including scrolled trigger-guard with gold-lined punzón of Francisco Antonio Garcia of Madrid (Neue Støckel 7461), and horn-tipped wooden ramrod
41¼in. (104.7cm.) barrel
Juan Fernández, a student of Alonso Martínez, replaced Nicolás Bis as gunsmith to Felipe V in 1726, and died in 1739, having taught Manuel Sutil, Joseph Cano, Joaquín Celaya, and Joseph López.
García, a student of Francisco López, was gunsmith to Carlos III and Carlos IV. He died in 1792
Literature
W. Keith Neal, Spanish Guns and Pistols, plates 26 and 27