This attractive c. 1870s double rifle is signed "H. BARELLA KONIGL: HOF=BUCHSENM: IN MAGDEBURG u. BERLIN" in gold inlay on the rib which is equipped with dovetailed blade and notch sights. Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm Barella established his shop in Magdeburg in 1844 and became a court gunmaker. The gun is numbered "11" on the underside of the right barrel, "726" between "crown/V" marks on the underside of the left barrel, "132" on the watertable on the right, and "1217" on top of the frame at the breech. It features gold inlaid scrollwork and gold bands on the Damascus barrels, relief chiseled foliate scrollwork with textured backgrounds, bestial motifs on the non-rebounding hammers, non-rebounding push forward underlever on the single bite action, two set triggers, a scrolling horn grip extension, checkered forearm, and a figured walnut buttstock with checkered wrist, prominent cheekpiece, and sling swivels. The rifle was acquired by Norman R. Blank around 1959. Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection

Fine with 75% plus original brown finish and distinct twist patterns along the barrels along with bright original gold inlays and some oxidation concentrated towards the muzzles, crisp designs throughout, mostly smooth gray on the balance, dinged breech edge of the left barrel, upper tang cracked at the tail replacement left hammer screw, piece of pierced scroll absent from the right hammer, chipped wedge, and age and storage related wear including some small insect spots on the horn. The wood is good and has crisp checkering, a crack on the top left of the wrist, minor flake at the rear left of the forearm, small hole in the forearm, and some dents and scratches. Mechanically fine.