This stunning small caliber rifle is one of a group of wheellock rifles with the mechanism mounted on the outside of the locks from in and around Teschen, Silesia, in present day Poland c. 1650. They are believed to have been made for hunting birds and other small game and are generally incredibly ornate. As such, they have been purchased for and displayed in a number of prestigious art museums and high end private collections. The slender, swamped barrel has six-groove rifling, blade and notch sights, and a long tang that bends down through the wrist. The distinctive lock has floral engraving on the fittings. The rifle has a single trigger. The finger groove trigger guard is iron. The stock has extensive staghorn, bone, and pearl inlays engraved with a variety of animal, mythological, and floral patterns. Provenance: The Collection of Joe M. Wanenmacher Jr