Product Details
F.I. SAUVAGE, LIEGE
AN EXTREMELY RARE 20-BORE FLINTLOCK BREECH-LOADING SPORTING-GUN, no visible serial number,
circa 1770, with brushed-bright, slightly swamped, triple-staged 31in. barrel, carved bands at the intersections, applied iron blade fore-sight with carved sides, shaped heavy rear-sight blade applied to the breech-cover (re-attached), the rococo scroll engraved breech-cover operated by depressing the large dome-headed spring-loaded dummy top-tang-screw and sliding the cover rearwards using the rear-sight blade revealing the concealed breech aperture with automatic sprung internal cover, large bevel-edged flat-fronted back-action lock engraved with rococo scrolls and signed within a rococo cartouche 'F.I. SAUVAGE A* LIEGE', unusual pierced and engraved hammer with hooked cocking-spur, lozenge pan, walnut curved hand-rail half-stock with carved mouldings around the furniture, borderline engraved heel-plate with rococo top-spur engraved with birds and floral vases, flat bevel-edged shaped sideplate engraved with stylised hunting dogs chasing a hind in a woodland setting, moulded iron trigger-guard tang, engraved pillar trigger-guard bow (some refreshing to engraving), rococo finial and horn fore-end tip with no provision for ramrod (wood with some age-splits, ironwork with some cleaned surface pitting)
Provenance: Ex Lot 303 Bonhams Fine Antique Arms and Armour from the Henk L. Visser Collection, Wednesday 28th November 2007
Literature: G. de Vries and B.J. Martens The Visser Collection vol. 1, part 4, cat. no. 934 pp. 572-573,
Other Notes: F.I. Sauvage is recorded in Liege between 1758 to circa 1785, and produced weapons for the Austrian government in 1758, also delivering to Bavaria. Howard L. Blackmore's book 'Guns and Rifles of the World' shows a breech-loading musket fitted with a near identical lock made by 'F. Bernier' of France (ref. no. 358)
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Estimate £5,400-5,800