Manufactured by Benjamin Griffin c. 1760. The browned, two-stage, smoothbore barrel has a silver blade front sight with inlaid silver "spider" base, decorative girdles at the transition point, "GRIFFIN BOND STREET LONDON" signed on top, London proof marks flaking a "crown/F" foreigner mark, engraving at the breech end, and gold lined vent. The standing breech is grooved. The flat beveled lock is signed "GRIFFIN" and has an unusual internal frizzen spring. The ramrod ferrules, trigger guard, and buttplate are steel. The side plate and wrist escutcheon are silver. The side plate displays pierced floral, martial trophy, and bird designs. The escutcheon features a spread wing eagle at the top, a bow on the right, quiver of arrows on the left, floral blooms at the bottom, and a blank space for an inscription. The stock features shell carving at the top of the wrist and some nice figure. The forend has a joint allowing the gun to be taken down for storage. The wooden ramrod has a horn tip and an iron worm. Two similar guns with internal frizzen springs by Benjamin Griffin c. 1760 identified as owned by William Constable of Burton Constable Hall in Yorkshire are shown on page 61-62 of "British Gunmakers: Messrs Griffin & Tow and W. Bailes, 1740-1790" by W. Keith Neal and D. H. L. Back. The same escutcheon design and carving pattern can be also seen on page 70. Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection

Fine with nearly all of the refinished brown remaining on the barrel, bright gold vent liner, attractively aged patina on the silver mounts, mostly bright lock and remaining mounts with some light oxidation and faint pitting, and generally fairly minor overall wear. The refinished stock is also fine and has crisp carving and mild handling and storage marks. Mechanically excellent. Overall, a very attractive sporting gun by Griffin.