Mousquet à mèche décoré, Pays-Bas en partie... - Lot 140 - Pierre Bergé & Associés

Mousquet à mèche décoré, Pays-Bas en partie du XVIIe siècle. A decorated matchlock musket, Low Countries, partly 17th century. With later musket barrel struck with a series of marks under the breech, fitted with later back-sight, later covered and fenced pan, a later bronze monster head sleeve over the muzzle, engraved slender rectangular lock, the trigger linked internally to the sear, fruitwood stock profusely inlaid with leafy flowering tendrils of mother-of-pearl and both white and green stained horn, punctuated by a series of masks and classical busts, the "fishtail" butt inlaid with a geometric pattern at the base (the entire inlay with substancial 19th century additions), iron butt-plate and later ramrod. L.: 131 cm - L. barrel: 92.7 cm. Provenance: Berthold collection No.463 (unverified). Galerie Fischer, Luzern, December 1, 1965, lot 86 (CHF 14,000).