Flintlock sporting rifle
John Clark (18th century)
Category
Arms and armour
Date
circa 1780
Materials
silver, gold, walnut, steel & iron
Measurements
130 mm (Width) x 80 mm (Depth); 1210 mm (L)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire
NT 108521
Summary
Flintlock rifle, circa 1780, by John Clark of London, gunmaker, London (1756 -1798). The barrel by Joseph Fruwirth of Vienna (1722-1797).
Full description
Flintlock rifle, circa 1780, by John Clark of London, gunmaker, London (1756 -1798). The barrel by Joseph Fruwirth of Vienna (1722-1797). Although of more decorative form this rifle almost forms a pair with KED/A/18. Octagonal iron barrel, rifled with 7 grooves. Engraved with a floral design at the breech and signed IOS. FRUWIRTH IN WIENN. The breech stamped with London Gunmakers Company proof marks and 2 makers marks, one the initials IC with fleur-de-lis; the other the gold mark of Joseph Fruhwirth. Engraved barrel tang with a sighting groove. Blade fore-sight. Gold touch-hole. Secured to the stock by 4 barrel slides with engraved silver sideplates. The ramrod missing. Barrel length 59.7cm Calibre 15mm. Walnut full stock with a drooping, hand-rail form butt. The butt inlaid with silver wire together with silver heads of a hare and a hound. The fore-stock constructed in 2 sections. Engraved iron furniture comprising; butt-plate, trigger guard with a plume-form finial, side-plate with a retaining screw, and 4 ramrod pipes. Silver escutcheon engraved with collared bird. Scroll form iron trigger. Flintlock, the lockplate of flat form with bevelled edges and a stepped tail. Signed CLARK. Anti-friction link between the frizzen and frizzen spring. Retained to the stock by 2 side-nails. Overall length 121.3cm
Provenance
Purchased in 1987 by the National Trust from Francis Curzon, 3rd Viscount Scarsdale (1924-2000).
Marks and inscriptions
JOS FRUWIRTH IN WEINN (maker's mark, engraved, top of barrel, text)
Makers and roles
John Clark (18th century), gunsmith Josef Frühwirth (1722 - 1797), gunsmith
References
Blackmore, 1986: Howard Blackmore: A Dictionary of London Gunmakers 1350-1850 Heer, 1978: Eugene Heer, Der Neue Stockel: 3 Volumes