This extremely ornate flintlock smoothbore sporting gun was originally manufactured in the French city of Chambery circa 1675 and was updated during its working life with a more modern barrel and stock. The rounded lock features exceptionally fine decoration and mixes low relief chiseled and engraved ornament involving foliate scrolls inhabited by bestial and animal masks and is signed by the maker twice, the first beneath the priming pan with the signature “HVET/A CHAM/BERY” within a small roundel held aloft by a putto with a Turk's head at its feet and the second signature engraved behind the cock reading “FRANCOIS HVET/A/CHAMBERY”. The three-stage blued barrel appears to date from around 100 years after the original gun was made and features tapering round forward stages divided by a turned girdle and a partially fluted octagonal to polygonal breech section with border engraved iron tang. The barrel is retained by pins and a single silver barrel band held in place by a spring clip formed as the tongue of a silver sea serpent inlet into the right side of the forearm of the stock. The barrel is fitted with the elaborately engraved, chiseled and pierced front and rear sights from the original 17th century barrel. The iron furniture comprises the trigger plate, trigger guard, heel plate and side plate from the original 17th century gun with the addition of two fluted ramrod pipes. The back of the trigger is finely pierced and engraved with a serpent. The side plate is intricately formed with a prominent high relief chiseled serpent against a pierced background of foliate scrollwork inhabited by masks, a bird, a further putti and an elf-like figure. The figured full length stock has light foliate carving around the barrel tang and trigger guard tangs, and has a horn tipped ramrod housed beneath the forearm. Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection

Fine with crisp markings and designs throughout, 75% plus of the blue on the barrel exhibiting fading mainly on the breech end, attractive aged patina on the silver, resurfaced frizzen, mostly silver-gray patina on the iron, and generally minor overall wear from age and storage. The stock has some light scratches, empty slots for a sling swivel and stud, and mostly distinct carving. Mechanically excellent.