Catalog Auction info Auction #124 - Two-Day Sale, November 23 & 24 (#124) 11/23/2019 9:00 AM EST Closed Starts Ending 11/23/2019 9:00 AM EST Auction Info Lot #310 Exceptional and Rare Over Under Bohemian Flintlock Sporting Rifle by Ferdinand Morawek Click image to enlarge PreviousNext Lot closed - Sold Price (Including Buyer`s Premium):$7,637.50 Estimate: $5,000 - $10,000 Description Description: About .62 caliber, 24'' octagon barrels with bright excellent 7 groove rifled bores showing some sparsely scattered very light oxidation or perhaps very light pitting within the grooves. The barrels retain strong trace original gray-blue, the balance flaking and toning to a light brown and with some light lengthwise pewter streaking, perhaps an effort to remove light oxidation in the years before modern lubricants and rust inhibitors. The barrels are very lightly swamped, the top sighted with a simple silver blade front and a two leaf rear, one standing, one folding, with a nicely chiseled front extension. There are three inset gold pineapple finial-like touch marks along with Ferdinand Moravek's sunken gold touch marks, featuring his name surmounted by a crown, and an additional maker touchmark, also in gold showing a walking horse. Extremely well made, the lightly engraved tang has two solid screws through it and the offset lockplates are slightly banana shaped, convex and lightly engraved with foliate decoration, the right marked ''Ferdinand Moravek'', the left ''in Krumau''. They feature graceful swan neck cocks with convex bodies and floral engraving, with a wide top jaws. The unbridled frizzens have graceful curlicue tips, each frizzen spring lightly chiseled, and the vents both lined in gold. A very interesting and no doubt challenging arm to manufacture and stock, as-mention the locks are offset, the right lock being slightly higher than the left, these to accommodate the offset toucholes in the over-under barrels. There are brass nose bolsters left and right at the muzzles and faceted ramrod thimbles with a simple unengraved scrolled tailpipe. The triggerguard is rather spartan with a wide smooth bow, its rear extension bolstering a carved walnut guard which is miraculously unchipped from the years. The wide rounded butt features a sharp heel and slightly ornate, yet unengraved, extension, and there is a simple toeplate. The stock appears to be French walnut and shows some lovely grain figure and rates excellent for its age with nearly all its original varnish showing only the expected light dings and handling marks from the years. There are incise-carved ribs top and bottom flanking the barrel channels, open foliate carving around the tang and incise carving ahead of each lockplate. The toeline features deep and shallow flutes and the sliding wooden door patchbox is neatly fluted as well. The left side of the arm features a wide elongated rounded cheekpiece with grooved edge and nice open foliate and floral carving at front and rear. There is a slightly fancy monogram plate atop the wrist engraved with a monogram letter ''F''. What is likely the original ramrod is intact and the arm is crisp and mechanically functional and in such a fine state of preservation, likely usable. This arm was purchased by Benenson from the sale of the William Keith Neil collection at Christie's auction house in 1995. An additional note within the patchbox, perhaps in Neal's own hand, reads ''this double barrel flint rifle belonged to Lord Malmesbury and came from his Armory at Herons Court Christchurch, Hampshire/bought at sale of his effects at Christie's''. It is highly possible the arm was brought back by the first Earl of the Malmesbury who was quite a diplomat and statesman, the second Earl of Malmesbury on the other hand was described as:''... being a sportsman, his real interests lay in hunting and he was known for the meticulous records of what game he had killed .... He built up an extensive collection of stuffed game, which he donated to various museums''. Further research may indeed prove which Lord Malmesbury owned the arm and when Christie's auctioned it. A small coin with a Stag's head with crossed rifles surmounted by ''William Keith Neil Collection'' on the front, and the inventory number ''G73'' on its rear, is included. Moravek, or ''Morawek'' was gun maker for the Princes of Auersperg from 1781 to 1791 and then in 1792 was court gun maker to Prince Joseph Schwarzenberg, perhaps a capital letter ''F'' signifies the arm being made for Friedrich, Prince of Schwarzenberg. (3F9284-20) {ANTIQUE} [Mark K. Benenson Collection] Categories: Terms and conditions GENERAL STATEMENTS • All bidders must register and obtain a bidding number in order to participate in the auction; in so-doing they agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the sale. Absentee/Telephone bidders must register by filling out and signing an absentee bid sheet, online bidders must register per the online terms of registration. • The highest bidder acknowledged by the auctioneer shall become the owner upon the fall of the hammer. The auctioneer has sole discretion in the case of a dispute among bidders. • Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. has taken great care in the preparation of the descriptions in this catalog. Although we believe everything in the descriptions to be true, we do not guarantee any part of any description. We recommend that the bidders view the items in person and form their own opinions as to condition, originality, origin, etc. Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. will consider all requests for refunds. If a customer is unhappy with a purchase we will be happy to discuss a remedy with them. • All requests for refunds must be made within 30 days of the sale date. Therefore, it is important that absentee bidders pay for their items in a timely fashion. All requests for refunds received after 30 days of the sale date will not be considered. • Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. reserves the right to reject any bid in order to protect our consignors interests. • Reserves: A very few lots will be offered with reserve. In cases where items are reserved, a bid of the low estimate will always exceed the reserve. 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Firearms are marked as follows: ANTIQUE - no paperwork required C&R - for firearms that fall under the ATF Curio & Relics licensing and if purchased by a person with a “C&R License” no paperwork is required. NOTE: Items that meet the age requirements but have been altered from their original configuration may NOT be delivered on a C&R License. Firearms that are not marked with one of these notations are considered to be “MODERN” and all proper paperwork is required unless you are an FFL Dealer. ABSENTEE/TELEPHONE/ON-LINE BIDDING • As a service to our buyers, Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. will accept absentee bids from bidders who cannot attend the sale. Bidders without prior credit approval are required to submit a 20% deposit prior to bids being accepted (credit cards may be used for absentee deposits). Absentee bids will be bid in a competitive manner and an absentee bidder needs only to outbid another buyer i.e. bidding will not be opened at the maximum bid unless that is the next competitive bid. Buyer is responsible for any and all shipping charges. Properly registered Amoskeag On-line bidders may use this service free of additional charges as an alternative to telephone or absentee bidding, at their election. On-line bidders should be aware that the sale proceeds at a very rapid pace and should plan their bidding strategies accordingly. • Amoskeag Auction Co., Inc. will not be held responsible for errors or omissions of any type that may occur during these services. • All absentee bids must be received by 8:00pm on the day prior to the auction. If you plan to attend the sale but will not be staying until the end and want to leave a bid on an item that will be sold after you leave, we must have those bids in by 8:00am on the morning of the sale. 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