With two-stage octagonal to round barrel with brass front sight and almond-shaped rear sight, the octagonal breech section struck with three maker's marks. Rounded lock signed "STEFANO SCIOLI" with chiselled tail, grotesque mask cock retaining screw-head and frizzen chiseled with a fleur-de-lys. Two-piece hollow all-brass stock profusely engraved with flowering scrollwork with applied pierced brass panels of further relief scrollwork including the side plate and escutcheon, the fore-end with repousse spray of foliage. Trigger guard with pierced finials, dog mask on the bow and signed "STEFANO SCIOLI" on the tang, and butt plate with applied pierced panel with a further dog mask. Later brass tipped iron ramrod. Stefano Scioli is believed to have been active in Brescia between 1633 and 1685. Only two guns with hollow all-metal stocks engraved and chiselled by Scioli are known in public collections, one is in the Collections of the Royal Armouries, Leeds (No. XII-1752) and is illustrated in Howard L. Blackmore, Guns and Rifles of the World, pl. 188, and the other is in the Landesmuseum, Kassel (No. B XIV 91).

Excellent over given the age and rarity as the rifle is approximatley 350 years old. The barrel may be a period replacement showing minor overall handling marks and wear. Stock very fine plus with minor repairs to the underside of the butt along the seam, engraving clear and sharp throughout. Trigger guard repaired. Fore-end with small split to the left side. Provenance: William Goodwin Renwick Collection, Sotheby's, London, 19 March 1974, lot 38, Robert M. Lee Collection.