Flintlock-Fowling Guns, circa 1720

[hawkeye1755]

A superb pair of Flintlock-Fowling Guns, circa 1720, stocks in Spanish style, locks in Dutch style, caliber 16 mm, length 145 cm.
The locks are inside marked IC. The construction of the chiselled steel-spring bracket is made in one piece with the pan. The guns have brass saddle back-sights on a pierced band engraved with foliage.The stocks have fluted butts and are nice carved.
Provenance: The Armoury of Their Serene Highnesses the Prinses zu Salm-Reifferscheidt - Dyck, sold by Christie's London 15 april 1992. Lot 80.
The Guns are marked with the family-ownership mark consisting a number below addorsed salmon from the Salm arms. This guns are numbered 20 and 21.

:hatsoff:

 

[Many Klatch]

Good looking guns. The frizzens look like they were used some, but the guns are spotless.

Many Klatch

 

[tg]

Were rear sights common on guns meant for true fowling useage?

 

[Mike Brooks]

Were rear sights common on guns meant for true fowling useage?

Yep, like that they were, and only in Europe.

 

[DrTimboone]

Adds a whole new meaning to the concept of a stepped wrist!!

Thanks for the Pics!

 

[mazo kid]

Beautiful guns...and great photos! In the 6th picture there appear to be holes in the underside of the stocks; were they for swivel buttons? Emery

 

[tg]

"Yep, like that they were, and only in Europe"
Neat, I thought they might be hunting guns for ball use, looks like these put the halfstock idea back pretty far as well.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

Half stocks in 1720!

 

[tg]

"Beautiful guns...and great photos! In the 6th picture there appear to be holes in the underside of the stocks; were they for swivel buttons? Emery"

What about the piece ahead of the tg that the tag is fastened to is it part of a sling swivil?

 

[Stophel]

The swivels are in front of the triggerguards. Could be the owner at some time had put swivels on the butts.

The Spanish style was very popular. I have probably seen more Spanish style guns made in Germany/Austria than I have seen them from Spain! The big U groove "butterfly" sight was also very popular. A Spanish/Italian thing.

I have a nice lightweight German bird gun done in Spanish style from sometime in the early 18th century. Mine's not nearly so fancy! www.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Fatdutchman/Original Flintlocks/SpanishStyle

Halfstocks go WAY back. It is SOP for Italian, German, and many Spanish fowling guns.