2106 INCREDIBLE MATCHED PAIR OF EARLY FLINTLOCK JAEGER

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[?]Live Online Auction Starts In 2025 May 09 @ 10:00 (UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT)
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 15,000.00 USD
Estimated at 30,000.00 - 50,000.00 USD
RIFLES BY PAUL POSER OF PRAGUE WITH WONDERFUL RAISED RELIEF ENGRAVED DETAILING BY FRANZ MATZENKOPF. Cal. 57. S# NSN. Paul Poser (1646-1730) ranked among the best craftsman working in the famed Bohemian area of iron production and gun making. Many surviving examples of his work are found in the finest arms collections throughout the world. His works include wheellock guns and rifles from the 1680's to early 1700's, as well as early flintlocks like this stunning pair. These rifles have 26-1/2" deeply swamped octagon barrels with dramatic flares at muzzles. Barrels are mounted with "V" notch bronze rear sights with two folding leaves and silver front beads. Top flats are engraved "Pavl. POSER (Gold poincon as shown on page 976 of Heer) IN. PRAG.". Barrel tangs are engraved with the numbers "1" & "2". Flint locks with rounded and slightly arched plates feature inset rounded pans, unbridled friction frizzens and feather springs with long filed spear finials. Serpentine cocks are also round bodied. Cocks and frizzens are neatly chased with some raised decoration. Feather springs are also decoratively filed. Locks are engraved with hunting scenes showing jaegers carrying guns being followed by dogs in front of cocks; stags run away on lockplate tails. The area framed by the feather springs is engraved "P. POSER". Stocks made of lightly marbled and figured European walnut extend to muzzles with horn caps and are pinned to barrels. Butts are deeply fluted reminicent of wheelock styling and moulded cheekpieces are on left sides. Areas behind barrel tangs as well as either side of cheekpieces are relief carved with open scrolls. Slightly raised mouldings surround locks and most furniture and extend along ramrod channels. Bronze ormolu furniture consisting of buttplates with large, long top tangs, pierced sideplates and trigger guards with foliate finials have engraved border mouldings and other incised work. This decoration frames superbly rendered relief chased carvings consisting of swags, ribbons and foliage surrounding grotesque faces on tops of buttplates. Full bodied statues of Diana goddess of the hunt, with her crescent coronet and hound at her side, are on trigger guard bows. Wonderful pierced sideplates are decorated with a border of relief carved scrolls outlining scenes of hunters at right and hounds retrieving a hare at left. Relief scroll is on octagonal ramrod pipes and grotesque faces are on thimbles. Original hickory ramrods with horn tips, sling loops and buttons are still in place. A rack or collection number "N3" is on each toeline. CONDITION: very fine with evidence of considerable use but meticulous maintence. Barrels show a good amount of original blue totalling as much as 10%. Locks retain most of their bright polish. Only traces of gold remain on furniture. Stocks show hand wear at carry points and also exhibit a large number of marks, dings and scratches. Frizzens show a considerable number of strikes, however pans remain free from any rust or pitting. Touch holes are normal size with some light pitting evident on rifle #2. Four groove rifle bores remain bright, sharp and shiny. Again, rifle #2 shows more wear. Locks and frizzens operate flawlessly. Although pairs of pistols were often made and remain together; the chance of finding a pair of rifles by a famous maker is very rare. PROVENANCE: from the renowned collection of quality sporting arms from Lewis Drake together with inventory of Lewis Drake Associates. (01-26149/MGM). ANTIQUE. $30,000-50,000.