This Wender style sporting long gun was originally manufactured for King Louis XVI by Louis-Fidele Fillon of Paris around 1780 and later restored for Napoleon Bonaparte by Jean LePage of Paris around 1806. The lock plate is signed "LE PAGE/A PARIS" behind the cock. Note how the "L" in LePage is artfully signed in a floral inspired font. An engraved eagle is featured at the rear of the lock. The action has an engraved safety. A fire breathing dragon is engraved on the swan neck cock. A floral engraving adorns most of the metal surfaces including the breech section of the barrels. "No. 2" appears on the barrels amongst the engraving and on the extend trigger guard tang surrounded by a gold highlighted border. The engraving on the barrel also includes fleurs-de-lis. Additional gold filled accents are found on the trigger guard. The smooth bore barrels are released by pushing the front of the trigger guard upward. Each barrel is equipped with a brass blade front sight set some distance back from the muzzle. The barrels are attached at the breech to a thick steel plate that has engraved serpentine scrollwork. The top of the breech end of the barrels and the breech plates is scooped for sighting. Attached to the left side of the rear breech plate is a hook which engages the closed frizzen of the lower barrel and prevents accidental opening and loss of powder. The area under the pans is signed declaring royal connection "Fillon Arquebusier" (Fillon Gunmaker) and "Du Roy A Paris" (Of the King at Paris) respectively. A depiction of a storm cloud with lightning bolts is engraved on the upper cock jaw. The unique and large lock plate escutcheon features engraved borders and floral motifs along with a fire breathing dragon that emulates the dragon appearing on the cock. The baleen ramrod with worm is mounted along a channel between the barrels. The ramrod pipes have a simple wide twisted rope pattern. There are three barrel wedges. Floral carvings appear on the straight grip buttstock and on the rear of the wood between the barrels. The buttstock has an ambidextrous leather cheek pad secured by a silver band pinned to the wood. The flat buttplate exhibits a border engraving along the scalloped sides and an eagle amongst engraved floriated patterns on the tang. The presence of the fleurs-de-lis and Fillon’s known association as a gunmaker to the King suggests that this firearm was made for King Louis XVI, his family or court. Executed for treason by guillotine in 1793, King XVI (1754-1793) was the last king of France. Famed Parisian gunmaker Jean LePage (1746-1834) is known to have made Wender guns before and after the French Revolution. It is highly unlikely that Fillon and LePage entered a joint venture to produce this gun. Instead, LePage likely put his name on this piece after he later restored it for Napoleon Bonaparte who was the Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1814 and again in 1815. French royal guns that survived the Revolution are known to have been restored by LePage for Napoleon and his court. The eagle clutching thunder bolts on the lock plate is a symbol that appears on Napoleon’s imperial arms. Moreover, the side plate is of the Empire period, and the silver band to the cheek pad features embossed stars and bees which is a motif that has been seen on other Napoleon imperial arms. Provenance: Acquired Lumley 1994; sold Ader Tajan, Paris, 13 May 1993, Lot 194; collection of Robert-Jean Charles.

Fine. The metal surfaces retain an overall bright appearance mixed with dark aged speckling. The wood is also fine showing a few cracks between the barrels and a number of minor pressure dents and scratches. The cheek pad shows age cracking. Mechanically excellent. Provenance: Robert M. Lee Collection.