Catalog Auction info Auction #121 - Two-Day Sale, March 23 & 24 (#121) 03/23/2019 9:00 AM EDT Closed Starts Ending 03/23/2019 9:00 AM EDT Auction Info Lot #236 Excellent German Long-Length Flintlock Fowler by Wittemann Click image to enlarge PreviousNext Lot closed - Sold Price (Including Buyer`s Premium):$4,025 Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000 Description Description: 20 bore, 41'' part octagon part round cannon-belled barrel with a bright about excellent bore. The barrel is primarily a pewter patina and shows raised wootz-type twist pattern full-length with a nice cannon-belled muzzle. The muzzle shows dual inlaid gold bands with an engraved gold medial at the reduced section with about 3 1/2'' of geometric gold inlay behind this. There is a thin steel rib running the full-length of the round section, from the point of transition, culminating in a rather fleur-de-lis-like gold inlay at the turned medial. The medial itself is gold overlaid as well and there are gold inlay embellishments to the rear of this at the corner of each of the barrel flats. The breech section of the barrel as well shows a gold overlay at a medial ring, with the same Mediterranean-like gold inlay directly ahead of the breech, with Wittemann's sunken touchmark at the top flat. There is a simple bead front sight and a wide v-notch gold plated rear sighting groove atop the lightly embellish tang. The lockplate is stepped at its rear with pronounced teat and features beveled edges, showing light engraving with what appears to be huntress Diana at the center, her hound is to her left and she actually is now sporting a musket. The makers name is in riband just beneath the frizzen spring ''Wittemann'' with his location, ''a Giessen'', just beneath. The stepped portion of the lock shows hunting horn, bow and quiver of arrows, perhaps abandoned by Diana in deference to the musket she now carries. The lock features a graceful swan neck cock with light engraving on the flat and a slightly ornate top extension, showing a faceted blued pan and light engraving on the unbridled frizzen. There are three faceted silver ramrod thimbles and a lightly engraved ramrod tailpipe with the faceted bow triggerguard, showing a very nice engraved urn front with floral extension. The triggerguard culminates in a single forward-curving spur with the same floral decoration at its rear. The butt is rather wide and very early in architecture, the heavy upper tang with nice engraving and chiseling. The sideplate is flat with beveled edges much like the lockplate and the shows some light foliate engraving with a figure being pulled in a chariot, holding a war club, drawn by hunting hounds (perhaps Mars?). The European walnut stock is lovely and unmolested with the years, rating very fine with nice antique raised grain in the area of the butt. The butt itself is very wide and features deep comb flutes, the wrist ovoid in construction with carved ribs running down the toeline flat. There is a carved grotesque mask midway down the forend to the rear of the tailpipe and light island carving around the triggerguard's front extension. Both stock flats show light carving as well with a nice flourish surrounding the tang. Directly to the rear of the tang is a pierced wrist plate with cast-in relief cherubs and martial panoply with a prominent bust at the center looking very much like a gladiator with his heavy helmet, perhaps Mars himself. There is a nice flat-bottomed cheekpiece with a simple rearward scroll and a nice foliate flourish at its leading edge. The lock is crisp and mechanically functional and there is an antique ramrod included which is likely a slightly later replacement. Stockel lists a number of Wittemann's who were gunmakers, clearly all the same family from Hessen; given the architecture and construction of this arm we would surmise it to be the work of Peter, 1710-1735. Overall length is just shy of 62''. (38937-408) {ANTIQUE} [Cletus Klein 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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Most non-residents may take possession of long guns on day of sale after completing the proper forms and successfully completing a NICS check; modern handguns will need to be shipped to an FFL holder in the buyer’s home state. Buyer is responsible for any and all shipping charges and all items must be paid for on day of sale. Bidders should be familiar with their local and state laws as Amoskeag Auction Co., Inc. will not be responsible for any parties purchasing items which may not be possessed in, or shipped, to their state of residence. CLASS III WEAPONS • Amoskeag Auction Co., Inc. is a licensed Class III S.O.T. and handles transfers of Machineguns, Suppressors, A.O.W.’s and short barreled rifles and shotguns in-house. Class III invoices are expected to be paid upon receipt, no transfer paperwork will be executed until the invoice is paid. Know that class III transfers take a good deal of time for Federal approval and we are at their mercy. 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. No bids will be accepted after that time. Please do not call the gallery once the auction has started (after 9:00am) as we will not be able to accept bids or make changes to bids. • Amoskeag Auction Company, Inc. will also accept telephone bids on a limited basis. Telephone bidding is reserved for seriously interested bidders. In order to bid by telephone, the bidder must be willing to pay at least the low estimate of the item being bid on. NOTE: Phone bids MUST be arranged by 5:00pm ON THURSDAY prior to the sale. • All absentee/telephone bidder invoices are mailed within a few days of the sale, on-line invoices are issued by end of business on the Tuesday following the sale; all invoices are due upon receipt. Invoices are to be paid either by cash or check, or by credit cards listed above. 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