A Fine Cased 16-bore Sporting Gun with Spare Barrel
With 31½ inch browned twist two-stage barrel with silver fore-sight and turned girdle, octagonal breech becoming polygonal and signed in gold along the top flat, case-hardened patent recessed breech engraved ‘Patent’ with two gold lines and gold-lined hood above the gold-lined touch-hole, border engraved tang finely decorated with a gundog and gamebird above the retaining screw and with a foliated martial trophy below, signed border engraved case-hardened flat lock decorated with a starburst behind the gold-lined rainproof pan and with a gundog and gamebird on the tail, engraved cock and roller frizzen with a small lip on the pan-cover, finely figured half-stock with chequered grip and raised leather-covered cheek-piece, steel mounts comprising scroll trigger-guard and butt-plate decorated en suite with the lock and retaining some original blued finish, trigger-plate with pineapple finial, vacant silver escutcheon, horn fore-end cap, sling mounts, original horn-tipped ramrod with iron worm, and some original finish: in original lined and fitted mahogany case with some accessories including powder- and shot-flasks, and spare 27½ inch covert or woodcock barrel also signed in gold and retaining its ramrod, the interior of the lid with maker’s trade label for 1802-1814, the exterior with flush-fitting brass carrying handle, London proof marks.
Provenance:
Lady Newdegate, Arbury Hall, Nuneaton, Warwickshire
W. Keith Neal Collection.
Literature;
W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back, British Gunmakers Their Trade Cards, Cases and Equipment 1760-1860, page 130.
Samuel Henry Staudenmeyer, former workman of John Manton, was gunmaker to the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York. He is a noted maker of rifles and repeating air weapons.