This fine French sporting gun by Simon Jourjon of St. Etienne dates to c. 1725 and features rare early long tapering soldered barrels from barrel maker Claude with a concave rib on the upper side only, gold damascened scroll and strapwork designs around the front sight position and at the breech, and a bust on the rib at the breech. The grooved standing breech is embellished en suite. The flat beveled locks are each signed "SIMON/JOVRJON" below the faceted priming pans and are engraved with border, scroll, and martial trophy designs, and have stepped tails and blued top jaws, jaw screws, and frizzen springs. The cast and chased silver mounts display foliate finials and include floral, scroll, border, and masks designs. The wrist escutcheon features a coronet/crown at the top, blank inscription panel flanked by lions, and a scroll design with a mask below. The buttplate has a mask and bust on the heel tang and "No. 59" inscribed at the toe. The figured walnut half-stock has a very attractively shaped butt with fluted comb, along with relief and raised scroll carvings at the nose of the comb, upper tang, and forend. Includes the original iron tipped ramrod. The gun is accompanied by Norman R. Blank's invoice for purchasing the gun at auction from the W. Keith Neal Collection in 2001 and the collection tag. Provenance: The W. Keith Neal Collection; The Norman R. Blank Collection

Very fine with 80% plus original blue and gold finish remaining, some areas fading to smooth brown patina, absent front sight, mostly bright locks, attractively aged patina on the silver mounts, distinct designs and markings, and generally minor overall wear mainly from age and storage. The stock is fine and has crisp carving and molding, minor cracks and chips at the edges, and general light handling and storage marks and scratches. Mechanically excellent. Overall, a stunning early French double barrel sporting gun with excellent provenance from two legendary collections.