Product Details
BERLEUR GUILLAUME, VERSAILLES
A 22-BORE FLINTLOCK DOUBLE-BARRELLED SPORTING GUN WITH UNUSUAL LOCKS, no visible serial number,
circa 1795, with 32in. twist barrels, bead fore-sight set in a boat-shaped gilded surround, triangular gilded pennants and scrolls at breech, eared rear-sight notch to the florally engraved top-tang also including an oval panel engraved with a duck, flat bevel-edged locks with pointed tails signed 'BERLEUR' in floral script on the right and 'GUILLAUME' on the left, gold-lined touch-holes, platinum lined pans with secondary waterproof pan covers concealed in the frizzens allowing the frizzens to be used as safeties, the hammer-breasts engraved with cornucopias (one hammer broken off but present), figured walnut hand-rail half-stock with radiused comb, skip-chequering to the fore-end and wrist, each intersection embellished with a silver pin, raised cheek-piece with carved flower-head, border engraved iron heel-cap, the top-spur engraved with a parrot, ornate carved and engraved trigger-guard tang and bow, the tang with raised grip-bar, the bow engraved with a crest of a Harpy sat upon a sphere with a discharging cannon, iron carved and engraved floral bouquet finial supported by two engraved entwined fish, iron rococco fore-end cap engraved with a seated bird on a branch with floral accents, carved faceted ramrod throat, two en-suite under-barrel ramrod thimbles, brass-tipped wood replacement ramrod and small square lug at muzzle for bayonet (missing), the whole with some staining and refinishing, inlet repair to right hand side of fore-end.
Provenance: Berleur Guillaume was a fine gunsmith operating in Versailles 1780-1840 who also worked for Boutet
Estimate £3,000-5,000