This is an interesting, possibly Victorian Era or later custom made decorative piece with cannon-style barrel with a brass bead front sight and a tube mounted notch rear sight. Light engraving is present on the serpentine with a swiveling flash pan cover and a hand rest trigger guard. The hardwood stock is fitted with a leaf-carved contrasting hardwood tip and a wooden ramrod with the buttplate measuring 12 inches long. Inlay on the wood is extensive, with silver wire vine designs accented with mother of pearl flowers and dark contrasting hardwood leaves, light contrasting wood borders, and 22 scrimshawed horn panels, chiefly showing men at arms and fortifications, with a bust of Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Latin motto "VIVIT POST FUNERA VIRTUS" (after death, virtue survives) on some of the panels. With a brass panel and floral cloth decorated powder flask. Provenance: The William Ashby Collection

Fair as restored/assembled. A mixed brown and gray patina is showing on the steel with a few areas of spotting and pitting. Stock is good as custom made (possibly Victorian or later) with a few small chips and dents. Mechanically very good.