Project Description
Winner of NRA silver medal #89 at the 2016 NRA Annual Meetings in Louisville Kentucky May 22, 2016 , as one of the 2 best miniatures on exhibit!
!!!!!SOLD!!!!! This is a 1/2 scale antique 16th century flintlock fowler, or shotgun, made by Tourjon Renna of Paris circa 1720. This was made for royalty, or someone who was very very wealthy! 26 5/8″ long overall with a 17 3/16″ part round part octagon smoothbore hook breech barrel of about .330 caliber. The barrel held in place by a single wedge. Steel barrel, lock assembly, and furniture. One piece profusely silver inlaid, and ornately carved, walnut stock. The hammer with both half and full cock. The lock marked in fancy script “Tourjon Renna” This miniature shows to have been shot quite a lot in it’s past from the condition of the pan and frizzen. The top rear of the barrel is engraved with what look to be flowers, further up the barrel is some light vine type engraving. The left flat of the barrel near the breach has a faint proof mark, the bottom rear of the barrel stamped with two letters, the first looks to be a F, followed by a G. The bottom right flat stamped HL near the breach. Yellow brass front sight. The ramrod looks to be mahogany with an ivory tip, and is held in place with one thimble on the bottom of the barrel. The stock on this piece is just incredible, and just gets better the more you look at it! The rear of the butt silver profusely inlaid with silver wire in scrolls and engraved silver flowers, as is the rear tang ares, the bottom in front of the triggerguard, and the bottom of the forestock just beneath the wedge escutcheons. The bottom and sides of the stock just rear of the wrist is beautifully high relief carved in the likeness of a woman’s face with two strands of beads, one with a pendant, and a feather headdress. The wrist of the stock finely checkered, then transitioning to fish scale checkering near the carved woman’s headdress. the forearm carved with beautiful fish scale checkering. The left side of the buttstock with a raised cheekpiece indicating this was made for a right hand shooter. The rear of the cheekpiece with a high relief carved rossette. The lockplate surrounded by a single strand inlaid wavy silver wire. The small steel sideplate is engraved, as is the screw head, and the area surrounding inlaid with a single strand of wavy silver wire. The rear tang engraved with a flower and also with an engraved screw head. The triggerguard with a typical engraved pineapple forward finial, the bow and lower rear tang beautifully engraved. The forestock and buttstock both with sling swivels. The buttplate is plain except for one small engraved flower and an engraved pineappel finial on the top tang. Both buttplate screw heads are engraved. The piece shows some serious age, and as I said, evidence of having been fired a lot. The steel parts show nice smooth gray patina. The lock assembly has a hairline crack from the screw tip just behind the lock up to the top. The stock shows some small nicks and bruises, and evidence of an expert stock repair, which is only noticed when the barrel is removed. The woman figure is missing one bead in the center of the bottom strand. Mechanically excellent. The NRA silver medal accompanies the miniature. An unbelievable antique one-of-a-kind piece sure to be the centerpiece of any miniature collection! !!!!!SOLD!!!!!
