The maker's records list this very rare small frame falling block rifle as being of Best Quality and completed on December 4, 1880 for the Comte de Vogue. Laurent Charles Arthur, the Comte de Vogue, was a French aristocrat whose family could trace its ancestry back to 1084. Born in 1858, he was sent to the Ecole Speciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr and was awarded for his bravery with membership of the Legion d’Honneur following the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian War. He died in Paris in 1924. With blued round barrel cut with Henry patent rifling, signed “ALEX.R HENRY, EDINBURGH AND LONDON”, and fitted with a block mounted gold bead front sight and block mounted rear sight of two folding leaves calibrated to “200” yards. Casehardened action and back action lock each with fine border and scroll engraving, the action engraved “PATENT NO. 1776” on the top flat, the lock with safety catch. Highly figured walnut pistol grip stock with raised cheekpiece, and checkered grip and forearm. The butt with engraved heel and toe plates. In original full length brass cornered fitted oak and leather case lined in red morocco leather, the lid with red leather Henry trade label with gilt lettering. With a near full suite of accessories including serial numbered bullet mold. The exterior of the lid with tooled borders and named “COMTE A de VOGUE”. Provenance: The Malcolm King Collection

Very fine retaining 98% of the reblued barrel finish with clear markings. The breech, hammer, lever, and trigger guard retain approximately 80% of the original casehardened finish with the bulk of the wear to the trigger guard tang, and some areas of minor spotting. The toe and heel caps are mostly a dull grey patina. The reoiled stock has sharp checkering and some handling scratches and dents. The case has some tearing at the edges of the leather exterior with various handling scratches. The pigskin interior has some areas of staining and slight tears, but remains mostly intact. The leather maker's label has a few small areas of discoloration. Mechanically excellent.