The Norman R. Blank Collection notes indicate that "W. Keith Neal thinks that this may have been made up by Griffin as a show piece since there is no name or crest on the escutcheon." Similar mounts and barrel markings can be seen on pages 73-75 of "British Gunmakers: Messrs. Griffin & Tow and W. Bailes, 1740-1790" by W. Keith Neal and D.H.L. Back. The gun dates to c. 1770. The browned, Damascus, two-stage, smoothbore barrel has a silver blade front sight with inlaid silver "spider" base, decorative girdles at the transition point, Spanish style gold lined "crown/LON/DON" and griffin marks on top at the breech, and a gold lined vent. The standing breech is grooved and has floral engraving. The flat beveled lock has "GRIFFIN" signed below the guttered pan, floral and martial trophy engraving, and a sliding half-cock safety behind the cock. It features a finely pierced rococo steel side plate with rosette carved square drive side nails. The remaining steel mounts feature chiseled and engraved floral and classical martial motifs throughout as well as a scene of two putti studying a book and globe and another of a dog flushing a bird on the heel tang. The full-length stock also features very attractive raised relief carved floral patterns and extensive silver wire inlays with inlaid engraved floral blooms and leaves on the butt and forend. The included Certificate of Weapon Authenticity from F. Theodore Dexter and the Academic Arms Center of America for Norman Blank notes this as a "Griffin Work of Art, Mint Flintlock Gun, Chiseled steel mounts. Sterling silver inlayed stock." Provenance: The Burton Constable Hall Collection; The Norman R. Blank Collection

Exceptionally fine overall with period refurbished smooth brown finish and light twist patterns on the barrel, bright gold, silver-gray on the lock and mounts, crisp engraved and chiseled designs and markings throughout, faint stress cracking evident on the cocks, and minimal light handling and storage type wear. The stock is very fine and has crisp carving, attractive aged patina on the silver inlays, and light dings and scratches. Mechanically excellent. This is a truly remarkable piece and is almost certainly one of the finest English flintlock firearms available on the open market today.