A Fine And Rare 20-Bore Silver-Mounted French D.B. Flintlock Sporting Gun, c.1725 (steel & wood...

By Simon Jourjon, St. Etienne. With tapering barrels retaining nearly all their original blued finish and with concave rib on the upper side only (minor dent near right muzzle), decorated with gold-damascened scrolls and strapwork around the fore-sight (missing) and at the breeches, enclosing, on the rear of the rib, a Classical portrait bust, blued gold-damascened grooved tang overlapping the breeches, signed border engraved flat bevelled locks each with stepped tail decorated with a differing military trophy, scroll engraved cocks each with blued top jaw and screw, blued steel-springs, moulded figured walnut half-stock carved in relief with symmetrical strapwork and foliage at the barrel tang and the rear ramrod-pipe, engraved cast and chased silver mounts, the butt-plate engraved 'No 59', pierced silver escutcheon with lion supporters and coronet above, blued triggers and trigger-plate, and original iron-capped ramrod.