This very attractive deluxe sporting gun from the early 19th century features seven-groove rifling in the left barrel and a smoothbore right barrel. The barrels feature blade and notch sights, a gold sunburst pattern around the front sight, cloud and ray designs at the breech, "BERTHON BOURLIER-A-ST-ETIENNE-CN-A-RUBAN-FER-DE-FAUX-" in gold on the concave rib, and an oval "*/MI/ED" mark on each barrel at the breech. The underside of the barrels at the breech ends are stamped "MERLEY/LONDON" (Heer, "Der Neue Stockel", no. 7902) and "A RUBAN/FERDEFAUX/TORDU." The standing breech has a grooved rear sight and floral engraving. Each lock is signed "Crause Cassel" and is engraved with hanging game, a sunburst design, and foliate patterns and borders, and features a rainproof priming-pan, large frizzen spring roller, sliding half-cock safety and ‘French’ cock. Each lock is internally serial numbered "33". The gun is fitted with a single set left trigger and plain right trigger. The silver mounts feature motifs including foliage, a sunburst and hunting trophies, these last comprising a large trophy on the trigger-guard bow involving a spear, quiver of arrows and a longbow surmounted by a stag’s head, and a smaller trophy on the heel-plate tang involving a spear, hunting sword and hunting horn with a boar's head in the center. The heel-plate is also inscribed with the rack number "No XVII". The well-figured walnut half-stock features sharp checkering on the forearm with carved floral borders and raised relief carved floral accents mainly around the cheekpiece on the left, and a patchbox on the right containing an old handwritten collection note in German. The wooden ramrod has a horn tip and iron worm. Claude Berthon-Boulier of St. Etienne is recorded as active circa 1777-1831 and in later years was in partnership with his sons. Heer in "Der Neue Stockel" indicates that he specialized in higher end arms for the Eastern markets. Carl Philipp Crause of Cassel and Herzberg is identified as active circa 1802-1828. Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection

Fine with crisp engraving and markings and much of the original gold remaining. The majority of the surface of the barrels displays brown patina. The standing breech is mostly bright with some light patina. The locks have light case colors and gray patina. The right cock and one of the rollers are replacements. The silver mounts displays attractive aged patina. The stock is also fine and has crisp checkering and carving with some minor scrapes and dings, attractive figure, and a small splotch of black paint on the right. Patchbox-lid spring missing. Mechanically fine. Overall, an exceptional ornate European flintlock combination gun.