Original 19th Century Spanish 17 Bore Miquelet Lock Fowling Piece by Joseph Aguirre of Eibar with Gold and Silver Inlays - Dated 1814

Original Item: One of a Kind. Here we have a fabulous example of an early 19th Century Spanish Miquelet Lock Fowling Piece in approximately 17 Bore, crafted by master gunmaker Joseph Aguirre of Eibar. Guns of this era from Spain were true works of art, usually made to order, and featured carved stocks and extremely high levels of decoration. This example features a fantastic 2 stage octagon to round barrel, which has just a bit of a flare at the muzzle. The barrel has some fantastic gold and silver inlaid designs on the top side of the barrel, especially near the breech area, but also near the muzzle around the front sight, and at the transition from octagon to round. There is some oxidation and tarnishing to the metal, so the inlays are not as bright as they once were.

The facets of the barrel near the breech are marked with the address information for the fowling piece:-

FABRICADO
EN EIBAR
AÑO DE 1814.

It features the "DE" ligature in the date, mostly done away with by modern times. There is also the typical Spanish punzón touchmark on the breech end of the barrel, highlighted in gold, which reads:

(Crown)
JPH
A
GUI
RRE

Joseph Aguirre is a well-known master gunmaker from Eibar, an area close to the Northern Coast and Basque country in Spain. It is one of the well-known gunmaking areas in the country, and many famous gunmakers operated there. We have found multiple examples of Joseph Aguirre's fine work, and also some by Pedro Aguirre, a relative. The lock and bottom of the trigger guard also bear Spanish punzón touchmarks, highlighted in gold, which only have the last name:

(Crown)
A
GUI
RRE

The gun's overall length is 54 1/2 inches, with a 39 1/2 inch barrel, and it is half stocked, featuring a lovely carved bolster where the cleaning rod enters the wood. It features all iron mountings, many of which are highly decorative, featuring lovely embossed and engraved designs, often with gold inlay. The miquelet lock also features some engraved designs and embossed scrollwork in areas, though for the most part has been left unadorned. We checked the lock action, and it is fully functional, with the half cock position holding firmly, and firing at full cock. We did not notice any mechanical deficiencies aside from the lock being a bit sticky from old grease and age.

The metalwork of the gun shows a lovely light plum brown patina on the barrel, with some areas of peppering, some of which have been cleaned away. The lock is mostly polished bright steel, with some light staining and dried old grease, which we left intact to avoid disturbing the patina. The stock is lovely, showing some minor cracks and old repairs, but no major structural damage. The butt stock has a typical Spanish shape to it, with a carved "rail" on the bottom, and the wrist is heavily checkered, which is still very well retained. There is an original ramrod under the barrel with intact threading on the narrow end, and it goes into the stock all the way past the wrist, so while it looks to be too short, it definitely is not.

This is a truly great piece of early 19th century Spanish craftsmanship, made by a known master gunmaker. Ready to add to your collection and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1814
Caliber: approx .652" - about 17 bore
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball / Shot & Powder
Barrel Length: 35 1/4 inches
Overall Length: 50 3/4 inches
Action: Snaphaunce Flintlock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

History of the Snaphaunce Lock:

A snaphance or snaphaunce is a type of lock for firing a gun or is a gun using that mechanism. The name is Dutch in origin but the mechanism can not be attributed to the Netherlands with certainty. It is the mechanical progression of the wheellock firing mechanism, and along with the miquelet lock and doglock are predecessors of the flintlock mechanism. It fires from a flint struck against a striker plate above a steel pan to ignite the priming powder which fires the gun. It has a separate cover for the flash pan, unlike the flintlock, which combines the striker and pan cover into a single piece, known as the frizzen. Examples of this firearm can be found through Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.