This fascinating German shotgun was made for a member of the noble von Hornstein family descended from imperial knights and is a very scarce four barrel design using two back action locks with pivoting striking faces. The barrels are etched Damascus and have classic twist patterns throughout. The rib has a bead front sight and "D. Landauer in Erding." He is listed in period sources as active in Erding, Bavaria, in the 1860s. The upper barrels and rib have dual gold bands at the breech. The breech plugs also have silver bands and silver scroll designs on the bolsters. It is marked with German on-hand "crown/V" proofs at the breech. The upper tang has "ALB. BAR." over a coat of arms of the Hornstein and "v. Hornstein" in gold inlay, and the tang, locks, and furniture have silver scroll patterns. There are animals among the designs, some in contrasting metals, including a fox pursuing a bird on the right lock, pair of pheasants on the left lock stalked by a dog, and a rabbit on the buttplate tang. The scroll and animal designs are in keeping with the patterns published by Gustav Ernst, a lead instructor at the Industrial School in Zella that trained many of the best arms engravers of the 19th century, including many of the best German-American engravers. The famous Colt Dragoon in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection has patterns based on this same style. The buttstock has fine checkering with elaborately carved scroll borders, a reposed hunter on the rear of the trigger guard (appears to be loading his gun with a now absent ramrod), deep molding on the edge of the cheek rest, and a boar beset by a pack of dogs in a detail scene behind the cheek rest. The carving is incredible.