Product Details
JOSEPH MANTON, LONDON
A CASED 20-BORE FLINTLOCK DOUBLE-BARRELLED SPORTING GUN WITH GRAVITATIONAL STOPS, serial no. 5671,
for 1812, with browned laminated 32in. barrels, the top-rib signed 'JOSEPH MANTON'S NEW IMPROVEMENTS BY HIS MAJESTY'S PATENT', white-metal bead fore-sight, trophy engraved to the rib-end, squared patent breech-block (faded colour) with angled drains and platinum lined touch-holes, fully engraved top-tang incorporating a depiction of an open book, border engraved bevel-edged locks with stepped and clipped tails and signed below the rainproof pans 'JOSEPH MANTON, LONDON', further trophies engraved to the tails, border and feather scroll engraved shaped and moulded cocks with gravitational stops mounted in front, roller frizzens with integral flash-guards, the front of both frizzens signed 'JOSEPH MANTON, PATENT' and patent use numbered '5193' on the left and '5194' on the right (slight traces of colour throughout), working replacement walnut half-stock chequered at the wrist, iron heel-plate engraved with scrolls and a further trophy to the top-spur, border and trophy engraved trigger-guard tang and bow, engraved pineapple finial, en-suite ramrod throat, plain thimbles and original brass mounted mahogany ramrod, together with its maker's mahogany storage case with separate compartment and tray for storing the locks, flush-fitting circular ring-handle to outside of lid, relined in green baize but retaining the original parchment Joseph Manton label to inside of lid and containing a powder flask, a turn-screw of unusual form, flint wallet, shot charger and a leather shot bandolier and also complete with spare lock-plates, percussion hammers, a replacement standing breech and percussion breech-blocks (see below)
Provenance: This shotgun has the gravitational stops and lips on the pan-covers described in Manton's Patent No. 3558 and is discussed in Neal & Back's volume 'The Mantons, Gunmakers' on page 247, where it also states "there is no cavity through the breeching for the escape of water". This is obviously an error, although the stock now fitted has no corresponding drain outlet, nor is the floorplate furniture cut for one and this may be to what the authors were referring. Neal & Back speculate that the percussion lockplates provided were converted from flint and may well have originally been a spare pair of locks provided with the gun
Other Notes: From the Sesto Rocchiccioli collection
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Estimate £5,000-7,000