This extraordinary exhibition quality relief chiseled double barrel percussion shotgun features masterpiece lever craftsmanship of the highest quality, including deep relief chiseled motifs, three dimensional carved steel components, and a beautifully carved ebony stock and case. The overall theme of this incredible shotgun is one of the pleasures of the hunt and wine. It was manufactured by the famous Le Page Moutier shop in Paris and completed in 1860. It was almost certainly displayed in some of the exhibitions of the period before it was later presented to Mexican President Manuel Gonzales Flores by French President Jules Grevy. Le Page was a Parisian firearms manufacturer established in 1717 and run by the same family until 1913, including by Gilles Michel Louis Moutier-Le Page who ran the illustrious firm from 1842 to late 1860s. During this period, fine arms by Le Page Moutier as the company was styled were among the finest arms manufactured for the 19th century's elaborate national and international exhibitions. The company under his leadership and then that of Emile Henry Faure Le Page won numerous accolades and awards, including at the International Exhibition in Paris in 1855 (1st Class Medal), 1867 (Silver Medal), 1878 (Gold Medal) 1889 (Grand Prix), in London in 1851 and 1862 (Prize Medals) and in Vienna 1873 (Medal of Progress). Given this extraordinary shotgun's completion in 1860, it may have been first displayed at the Exposition Universelle in Metz, France, in 1861 and was likely displayed at subsequent exhibitions such as the 1862 International Exhibition in London the following year during which the company is noted as displaying "Sporting guns, carbines, revolvers, &c." A somewhat similar shotgun from the firm is shown in "Masterpieces of Industrial Art & Sculpture at the International Exhibition, 1862 Vol. 1" in Plate 6: "French Ornamented Fire-Arms." The book states: "For 'Armes de luxe' Paris has long maintained supremacy over all competitors: the names of Devisme and Le Page Moutier are of world-wide note; to which follow worthily in suit Gastinne-Renette, Gaudin, Brun, Perrin, and Thomas, all of whom obtained the highest commendation of the Jury in Class 11." The jury report noted: "The sporting guns and the pistols exhibited by the Paris makers are chiefly remarkable for the extreme artistic beauty of their decorations, which are designed and executed with the greatest skill and taste, the ornamental parts of the gun being highly valued in France, and in other countries, to which the French gunmakers export largely, especially South America." The gun illustrated in the book is now in the Royal Armouries (object number: XII.4751), and their description notes: "The gun was exhibited at the 1862 International Exhibition in South Kensington and was awarded a medal. A similar gun was presented to the President of Mexico, Don Manuel Gonzales, by M. Paul Jules Grevy, President of France, in 1879." The Damascus barrels by Parisian barrel maker Leopold Bernard feature a solid concave rib signed "LE PAGE MOUTIER ARQer BREVETE A PARIS" in raised relief lettering with floral bloom accents flanked by raised foliate scrollwork. The rear of the barrels exhibit 9 inch panels of beautifully executed chiseled vine, leaf, and grape patterns on a finely beaded background, and there is a band of chiseled oak leaves and acorns at the front of the breech panels. A chiseled scroll pattern incorporating a beautifully carved three dimensional fox covers the fences and extends down the sides of the barrel breeches, and the hammers are finely chiseled in the form of dogs that pounce on each fox when the gun is fired as well as pierced scroll patterns. The breech hook and standing breech are numbered "998." The standing breech also features foliage scrollwork and has a chiseled vulture. The underside of the barrels are signed "LEOPOLD BERNARD/CANONNIER A PARIS" and have the numbers "N998" and "A1860" (barrel number and date) and two "crown/LB star" maker's marks. The rib is marked "57445 - 1850" on the underside. The two steel ramrod pipes also feature chiseled floral scrollwork, and the ramrod features coordinating embellishment on the ends. The locks and furniture feature the same high quality work as the barrels and are embellished en suite and feature a variety of intricate motifs. The back action lock plates are fully covered in a foliage scroll chiseled patterns with game scenes; the left lock plate has a lion and a snake reminiscent of the famous sculpture by Antoine-Louis Barye, and the right lock plate has two dogs attacking a stag. Both lock plates are signed "Lepage moutier" following the contour of the hammers in the half-cock position at the front. Foliate scrollwork continues on the ornate buttplate side extensions and buttplate tang and include carved game scenes; the right side of the buttplate has a leopard, the left side of the buttplate has a leaping fox, and the heel tang has three dogs bringing down a boar. The flat of the buttplate has an engraved floral scroll and rose blossom motif with a small satyr mask in the center. The handsomely chiseled and pierced trigger guard incorporates a three dimensional pheasant eating grapes at the front of the bow and a three dimensional hare consuming foliage at the rear of the grip extension. The trigger plate finial is artfully shaped and features chiseled foliage scrollwork with a small bird on the finial. A carved steel raised inlay adorns the sides of the stock. Each stock inlay is engraved with a foliate pattern, and the left inlay is inscribed "Le Page Moutier ferit 1860" indicating the work was completed in 1860. The forearm tip has a carved mask representing Silenus, the god of wine-making, with a grape vine pattern below. The barrel wedge and escutcheons are adorned en suite with the rest of the metalwork. The ebony straight comb, straight grip stock features beautiful full-coverage vine and leaf carving. Inhabiting the leaves on the sides of the butt are two carved birds, and at the buttplate there are four carved putti holding hunted game. The ebony takedown case coordinates with the stock and the metalwork of the shotgun and has wide steel bands, monogrammed initial plate and hardware, all featuring carved foliate pattern. The initial plate on the lid has an engraved "MG" monogram. The case is lined with blue velvet, and the inside of the lid has padded lining with traces of gold lettering from the original maker's label. A suite of loading and maintenance equipment is included with the case and decorated in coordination with the shotgun and case. Among the equipment is a nicely figured wooden cleaning rod, a screwdriver, wad cutter, and two wooden cylindrical containers. This incredible shotgun was once part of the Harolds Club Museum of the Old West and is described and photographed in a booklet published in 1958 by the museum. The museum describes the gun as "One of the most valuable weapons in the world, this shotgun was presented in 1879 by M. Paul Jules Grevy, President of France, to Don Manuel Gonzales, President of Mexico." The gun was examined by San Francisco jewelers Shreve & Company who stated, "there is no person living today capable of executing such metal carving. If such a person could be found, it would unquestionably take him 5 to 10 years to complete such as job." It is also referenced in multiple publications about the Harolds Club collection, such as the "Boys Town Times" on November 13, 1964, when the collection was on display during Nevada's centennial celebrations. The caption noted "Among the guns on display was a shotgun presented in 1879 by M. Paul Jules Grevy, President of France, to Don Manuel Gonzales, President of Mexico, now valued at $15,000." By the early 1960s, the Harolds Club Museum in Reno, Nevada, possessed a collection of some 3,000 guns in all with about 2,000 displayed in the Roaring Camp Room, the Silver Dollar Bar, and elsewhere throughout the casino. Co-owner Harold Smith Sr. called it "one of the world's greatest gun collections," but the collection was sold to Butterfield & Butterfield in 1993, and the guns were auctioned off in May of 1994. Manuel del Refugio Gonzales Flores (1833-1893) was a Mexican general and the 31st president of Mexico (1880-1884). He served in the Mexican-American War and Reform War. During the French Intervention in Mexico, he fought under General Porfirio Diaz. During his military career, he was wounded multiple times and held as a prisoner, including by the French, and lost his right arm in the Siege of Puebla in 1867. He was hand picked to succeed Diaz as president on December 1, 1880, and continued many of his policies and was later succeeded by Diaz. During Gonzales's presidency, he re-established relations with France, Britain, and Germany, and French bankers plaid an important role in the establishment of the Banco Nacional de Mexico. He also had Mexico adopt France's metric system. In "Mexico at the World's Fairs" by Mauricio Tenorio-Trillo, it is noted that "...in 1888 Manuel Flores, a member of the Mexican exhibition team, was commissioned to evaluate the French plans or an exhibition of social economy" and that "Mexico published its own catalog in French and Spanish" of the Exposition Universelle de Paris in 1889. Mexico had its own pavilion in the exposition, the Palacio Azteca, and also published in Paris the first encyclopedic survey of Mexican history for the event. Jules Grevy (1807-1891) was President of the French Republic from 1879 to 1887 and would have been the French leader President Gonzales rekindled ties with. Grevy is considered the first real republican President of France and actively worked to decrease the power of the executive and instead invested more powers in the French legislature unlike his predecessors. Prior to serving as president, he had a long political career, including as president of the National Assembly in the early 1870s. Provenance: Mexican President Manuel Gonzales from French President Jules Grevy; The Harolds Club Museum of the Old West Collection; Butterfield & Butterfield; Property of a Gentleman

Excellent overall. The metal surfaces have an attractive French gray finish with the barrels retaining all of the Damascus pattern. Some light pitting is limited to the barrels contained under the forearm. The stock is fine with a couple minor cracks, a few hairline age cracks near the lock plates and some chipping along the edges of the forearm. The carving is crisp. Mechanically excellent. The case is very fine with some wear of the lining and overall minor handling/storage marks. The lid has an added coat of protective varnish applied. This exhibition quality double barrel percussion shotgun by renowned Parisian manufacturer Le Page-Moutier identified as presented by the President of France to the President of Mexico is truly an exceptional work of art and a fascinating piece of diplomatic history.