This highly embellished Russian double barrel shotgun features a single bead sight on the concave matte rib, 2 3/4 inch chambers, single extractor, full chokes, and wedges of gold inlaid scroll engraving at the breech of the barrels. The receiver is fully engraved with a dual tone blue and gold washed finish featuring scenes of a fox stalking pheasants on the left and a large bird of prey hunting ducks on the right. The balance is covered in fine leafy scroll. It has dual gold washed triggers and a sliding tang safety. Perhaps the most interesting feature is the silver presentation plaque on the right side of the stock. It is inscribed "1891/1971/URSS/France/Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev/Georges Pompidou" (translated from Russian). Brezhnev of course was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and de facto leader of the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1982. He is most infamous for his rolling back and doing away with many of the more liberal policies of his predecessor Nikita Khrushchev as well as his heightened support of communist guerrillas in Vietnam. Georges Pompidou served as Prime Minister of France under Charles de Gaulle from 1962 to 1968 and was then elected President of France in 1969. The two men did meet in October of 1971 in Paris. 1891 was the year of "consultative pact" between France and Russia to protect both nations from hostile powers, mainly Germany. Skip-line checkered beavertail forearm and pistol grip stock with engraved, gold washed fittings, raised cheek piece, and engraved nickel plated buttplate. Barrel and stock measurements are: bore diameter at 9 inches from breech .731/.728 inch; minimum wall thickness .035/.036 inch; drop at comb 1 1/2 inches; drop at heel 2 3/4 inches; length of pull 14 1/4 inches.

Fine. 98% original blue finish remains on the barrels with crisp engraving, and some light surface scratches. The receiver has most of the original gold washed and contrasting black finish with some areas of mild edge wear and handling marks. The wood is also fine with well defined checkering, and small dings and scratches throughout. Mechanically excellent.