Product Details
WILFRIED GLANZNIG
AN EXCEPTIONAL DEFLORIAN-ENGRAVED 9.3x74R SIDELOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE, serial no. 53180,
23 3/4in. blued nitro chopperlump barrels, sight rib engraved with fine acanthus scrollwork, finely engraved open sights, the breech end fitted with a Zeiss Victory HT 1.5-6x42 telescopic sight in scroll engraved quickly-detachable mounts, the tubes engraved with flashes of fine scrollwork at the breech ends, the rib signed by the maker and engraved with elegant acanthus scroll flourishes, bolstered treble-grip action with hidden third bite, removable striker discs, pierced toplever, manual safety, gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, set triggers, the bolsters and fences carved with acanthus scroll on a matt background, the action and furniture finely engraved with acanthus scrollwork interspersed with oak leaf and acorn designs, the lockplates carved with evocative scenes of running boar and hounds in a woodland setting on the left, the right with a barking stag with a herd of doe in attendance set within a timberland setting, the triggerplate signed 'J. Deflorian', bright and blued finish, 14 1/4in. highly-figured pistolgrip stock with pistolgrip cap, cheekpiece, blued engraved sling swivels, including 1in. recoil pad, the fore-end and stock with fish-scale chequering bordered with carved oak leaf and acorn motifs, weight 9lb. 3oz., in its makers brass-cornered maroon leather case with sighting targets
Provenance: Wilfried Glanznig is regarded by many as the finest gunmaker in Austria, producing work that is the equal of anything else in the world and amassing a loyal following along the way.
He was born 13th January 1943 and began his career, aged 18, when he went to work under Josef Just in Ferlach. He remained with Just until 1975, a spell of fourteen years, when he attained the title of Master Gunmaker. He set-up his own workshop the following year (where he remains to this day) and initially set-about building simple kipplauf and combination rifles with boxlock actions. Two years later he applied himself to the relative complexities of the sidelock, and built a single-trigger ejector drilling.
Since 1982 he has built only 'best' sidelock guns. Glanznig considers the year 2000 to be his zenith when he completed a series of, as he describes, "grand complications" in the form of drillings and vierlings, all with single-triggers and full ejectors. The years wouldn't appear to have slowed him, and aged 71, he still regularly indulges his passion for skiing and paragliding.
Joachim Deflorian was commissioned to engrave this Lot (and the following two). He was born 31st January in Bozen, Italy and spent his childhood in the Tyrol. Here he showed an artistic bent and drew many fine landscapes; a talent he probably inherited from his grandfather who was an artist and wood-carver of some note.
Deflorian enrolled in the Ferlach School for Handguns in 1959 where he learnt the skills of a gunmaker. Once his military service was at an end he returned to Ferlach and worked as a gunmaker for Josef Hambrusch. He spent a deal of time with Hambrusch observing his brother-in-law, who was the firm's engraver, and decided that this was the path he wished to follow. In order to do this he returned to the gunmaking school for training but remained 'at the bench' for Hambrusch in the afternoon. He was taken under the wing of master engraver, Johann Singer, and once qualified was offered commissions by many of Ferlach's top makers. However, he considered it an honour to be asked to work for Glanznig.
He still undertakes commissions, but aged 73 has discovered a new artistic use for his fingers; blues guitar. After returning to school, albeit for a very different subject, he now plays for a minimum of two hours per day between bouts of fine engraving.
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Estimate £22,000-26,000
S1