Lot 1411: Engraved Venables Percussion Sporting Rifle

With browned Damascus octagonal barrel cut with deep two groove rifling for either a winged bullet or belted ball and signed “VENABLES. OXFORD” towards the recessed patent breech, the breech with slotted platinum plug and engraved with border lines and a tiger’s head. Blade front sight and blued rear sight of one standing leaf and three folding leaves. Standing breech profusely engraved with tight scrollwork. Detented bar lock signed “VENABLES” with safety bolt behind the hammer and finely engraved with scrollwork, border lines and a recumbent stag in its naturalistic habitat, and with single set trigger. Border and scroll engraved furniture comprising blued heel plate, blued pistol grip trigger guard engraved with a running stag on the bow, casehardened trigger plate with rounded pineapple finial, and casehardened hinged patchbox cover engraved with a creeping tiger. Well figured walnut half length stock with checkered grip and forearm, inset with a small oval silver initial escutcheon on the underside of the butt, green horn forearm cap, and blued sling eye, the corresponding sling eye mounted beneath the rear ramrod pipe. London proof marks. Provenance: The Malcolm King Collection

Fine. The barrel retains 90% older rebrowned finish with some patches of discoloration and minor rubbing to the muzzle, the patent breech is discolored but retains clear engraving. The standing breech and lock each faded traces of original casehardened finish. trigger guard and buttplate retain 40% bright original finish. Engraving is crisp throughout. The stock has numerous age related storage, use and handling marks, bruises and blemishes throughout, checkering well-defined, repaired crack to right side of forearm. Mechanically excellent.