The barrel is inlaid with "ANCIEN CANON DE DAVID BARS" (upper left), "U tout usage, soit a Balles soil a Chevrotines on a Plomb" (top), and "ARQUEBUSIER DE STOCKHOLM" (upper right). The markings indicate was an old Swedish barrel designed for use with bullets, balls, or buckshot. The bore is oval (.52 and .46 diameter) and has lands and grooves. It appears to have been cut down and has no front sight. A notch rear sight with a folding leaf is fitted towards the rear. The lock is inlaid with "AL BT RENETTE/A PARIS." The left side plate has a pair of wolves. The barrel, lock, and side plate have extensive gold inlay. The pattern on the side flats of the barrel resembles a series of Ns. The remaining furniture is silver and has finely detailed engraving. A boar is on the heel of the buttplate, and the trigger guard bow has a bear. The stock has scale pattern checkering on the rest, a swiveling piece of wood secured by a sling mount on the bottom which covers two small holes presumably used for holding a few caps, a sliding wooden patch box with carved floral design around the release button, a cheek piece, and a gold inlaid initial plate inscribed with a coronet over "N[arrow]P" on the bottom of the forend. Though the latter marking was previously attributed as a marking for Emperor Napoleon III and the emperor is known to have owned a breech loading carbine by Gastinne-Renette that we sold in 2012, it is not clear precisely whose marking this is. Napoleon III reigned from 1848 until 1870 first as president and then as emperor, and his mark as emperor was the imperial crown over a single N. Given Albert Henri Marie Renette was active around 1793 to 1834, the gun dates to prior to Napoleon III's reign, and this is likely the mark of another aristocrat. Napoleon III was a prince until 1852 when he made himself emperor, but this is a lower ranking coronet (appears to be the equivalent of a French comte). Renette partnered with Napoleonic Wars veteran Henri Gastinne in 1812, and they are known to have worked with the Puiforcat gold and silversmiths who were first active c. 1820. The Gastinne and Renette families were joined by the marriage of Gastinne's son and Renette's daughter in 1834. By 1840, the firm had taken on the joint name of Gastinne-Renette under Gastinne's son, and they became official arms makers to Napoleon III and his court in 1852 and also served the Spanish monarchy and were popular with other European aristocrats and gentlemen.

Fair as altered. The barrel has been cut down at the muzzle, possibly to fit it into a duffel bag during WWII, and the ramrod pipes and front swivel are since gone. The barrel, lock, and side plate retain nearly all of the original gold inlay and have dark brown patina on the balance mixed with some oxidation. It mechanically needs work. The stock is fine and retains about half of the dark "ebonized" finish popular on French artistic arms and has crisp checkering and moderate overall were including some minor chips at the edges, extensive surfaces scratches, and some small dents. This is a very interesting piece with fine gold and silver work and a highly unusual bore.