This beautiful rifle's mate is probably held within the Collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (accession number M.120-1953), and Norman R. Blank's notes indicate this rifle was purchased from W. Keith Neal in 1964. It was made circa 1730-1735 and has decorative metalwork attributed to Franz Matzenkopf (see the pair of pistols held in the Collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accession number: 2018.282.1, .2). It has a blued swamped octagonal barrel with seven-groove rifling, dovetailed silver blade front and two-leaf rear sights, "PAUL POSER" in gold inlay on top of the breech section flanking Poser's gold-lined "PIP" maker's mark along with gold-inlaid line work. The flat lock is signed "POSER/A PRAG" on the tail ahead of a chiseled hunting trophy and has a faceted priming-pan and a finely detailed chiseled scene of a hunter with his dog and a slain hare in a wooded scene. The cock includes a putti pulling on a scroll pattern disgorging from a monster-head. The lock is fired with double set triggers with an engraved plate with foliate finial that coordinates with the finials on the trigger-guard. The cast and chased silver mounts feature ornate floral, scroll, animal, and mask designs along with a deer hunting scene on the side-plate, pierced wrist escutcheon with putti and bound captives, and classical figures on the patch box lid and heel tang. The full stock has a green horn forearm cap, inlaid silver wire scroll and floral patterns, molding, raised relief carved masks and scroll patterns, and a cheekpiece with fluted edge and scroll carved accents. Later brass-mounted horn-tipped ramrod. Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection

Very good with attractive aged patina on the mounts, crisp relief engraving and markings on the lock along with mostly silver-gray patina, the barrel mostly a mixed smooth gray and brown patina, scattered minor pitting to the iron parts. The silver mounts have clear scenes with age related rubbing to the high points. The stock has rubbed carving, a break towards the center of the forearm, some additional cracks and repairs concentrated in the forend, pieces of silver inlay coming loose or absent, scratches and handling marks throughout. Mechanically fine. This rifle is a beautiful example of fine European arms from the second quarter of the 18th century. Its silver mounts alone are works of art!