‡ A 12 BORE ITALIAN WHEEL-LOCK MUSKET, LATE 16TH... Lot n° 198

‡ A 12 BORE ITALIAN WHEEL-LOCK MUSKET, LATE 16TH CENTURY with tapering octagonal barrel struck with a mark on the left of the breech and fitted with moulded copper alloy back-sight (fore-sight, one barrel bolt and tang retaining screw missing) flat lock struck with a mark on the tail and retained by two side nails, (mainspring cracked, chain detached), fitted with external wheel retained by a heart-shaped bracket, pan with sliding cover, a pair of moulded dogs with delicately filed springs and terminals each decorated with scrolls, full stock (cracks and repairs), inlaid with staghorn segmental lines and shaped iron plaques about the barrel bolts and beneath the lock, butt of ‘fishtail’ form, iron mounts comprising butt-plate with tang extending over the spine of the butt, trigger-guard with bud-shaped terminal, trigger-plate of shaped outline, two scrolling side-plate plaques, and fore-end cap (later wooden ramrod), 112.2 cm barrel Provenance Brian Powers