With tapering turn-off three-stage barrel with turned muzzle-ring and mid-section, engraved silver fore-sight, octagonal breech becoming polygonal and signed in full along the top flat between engraved foliage involving a grotesque-head on each side, the turned and threaded section at the rear engraved with a horned and winged grotesque mask respectively above and below, iron frame engraved on top with a crown on foliate female demi-figure supporters each with foliate lower half involving a monster-head and extending along the tang, and with a circular gas-escape beneath, rounded back-action lock with slender border, tail chiselled with foliage and signed on a banner held by a naked figure amid scrolling foliage, cock and steel chiselled and engraved with foliage en suite, the former cocked automatically via a flat bar engaging with the circular brass breech-block and operated by the side-lever engraved with differing martial trophies and retained by a cross-headed screw chiselled with foliage, the latter with small terminal chiselled in the round as a foliated human head, foliate engraved priming magazine (hinged cover missing), moulded highly figured butt (grip repaired, numerous old small repairs) carved with foliage at the toe, later figured fore-stock carved with scrolling foliage on either side behind the original rear ramrod-pipe, iron mounts comprising side-plate pierced and engraved with foliage issuing from the lower halves of an amorously embracing naked couple, hinged butt-plate engraved with a battlescene involving an armoured figure, a crown being held above his head by a foliated demi-figure also holding a trumpet, roughly incised 'XIII' above, and opened by operating a sprung catch in the toe of the butt and revealing cylindrical cavities labelled for 'Balle' and 'Povde' (sic), the latter with pivoting cover, long tang engraved with foliage and a line of graduated spheres, foliate engraved moulded trigger-guard with pierced and chiselled foliate finials, the bow engraved with a bird perched on foliage between raised borders engraved with spheres, scrolled trigger pierced with foliage behind, turned baluster ramrod-pipes (two replaced), and original wooden ramrod (repaired) with iron-capped horn tip
82.4 cm. barrel
Footnotes
Although the breech-loading magazine system employed by this gun is usually termed the 'Lorenzoni' system (after the Florentine gunmaker Michele Lorenzoni), it is not certain to which European gunmaker the credit for its invention should be given
The signature 'Le Nivernois' presumably means the maker came from Nevers, the capital of the département in central France formerly called Nivernais, and, in more recent times, Nièvre
For a similar example signed Acqua Fresca A Bragi and sold in these Rooms see Fine Antique Firearms from the W. Keith Neal Collection, 10 November 2005, lot 47
For further examples of 'Lorenzoni' system repeating firearms see G. Lupi, I Primi Fucili a Repetizione, 1976
