An Austrian Sporting Gun mounted with an Ottoman “Turkenbeute” Barrel circa 1700 – Ex Keith Neal Collection

To enquire about this item
please click here

Price: £7,500

Ref: 62080715

Item Description

A fine and historically intriguing Austrian or South German early 18th century flintlock sporting gun mounted with a fine quality, heavy, Ottoman Damask barrel. The gun is one of a small surviving group made by European smiths  incorporating captured 17th century Ottoman barrels in the guns. This example was part of the William Keith Neal Collection.

After its defeat at the Siege of Vienna in 1683 the Ottoman Empire began its prolonged retreat from Eastern Europe. At each forthcoming defeat, or abandonment of its positions, the Ottomans left behind significant trains of arms. The barrels of some of the abandoned Ottoman guns were of wonderful quality and the best were especially sought after by leading European gun makers for mounting on their showpieces made for the nobility.

In Austria and the states that had formed much of the frontier with the Ottomans at the peak of expansion the barrels developed a specific term as Turkenbeute “Turkish Booty” barrels. Today guns mounted with these barrels are housed in numerous museums and private collections across the region. Some of these barrels traveled further afield to countries in Northern Europe where the high quality was similarly appreciated. The barrels, being radically different from standard European manufacture, were also a souvenir of the  European states turning the tide against an enemy empire intent on the conquest of Southern Europe.

The four stage smooth 7 bore tapering barrel is of heavy musket type. The thickened rounded stage at the breech is chiselled with a typically Ottoman  panel, onlaid with silver and bordered by beads of semiprecious stones, and centred with a typically Ottoman onlaid arabesque. A grooved rear sight has been incorporated into the breech plug top.

Beyond this rounded stage the barrel becomes octagonal in section for two further stages with similar chiselled Ottoman shapes onlaid with silver and mounted with beads. Three chiselled panels are inlaid with silver script forming what is probably the barrel maker’s name. The bell-shaped muzzle is silver sighted and also richly onlaid with silver. The designs are similar to those which appear on Ottoman tiles and calligraphy of the time.

The full stock is well shaped with an early style club butt. It is finely moulded around the wrist, tang apron, lock and ramrod aperture. The fore end is horn tipped and the iron capped wooden ramrod is held in three finely forged multifaceted iron pipes. The curved iron trigger is scrolled backwards and the trigger guard is of iron. The iron buttplate has an engraved spur on top and is fixed to the butt with two screws.

The rounded lock and cock are of high quality, both with fine engraving of foliate scrolls incorporating a serpentine monster and a winged cherub facing each other on the tail. The cherub is aiming a blowpipe at an ape seated in front of the cock with a second monster depicted to its right underneath the pan. The parts are tight, the springs are strong and the lock is in fine mechanical working order.

The gun is 58 inches (just over 147.5 cm) long overall, and the barrel is 42.75  inches (108.5 cm).

Note: It is assumed that the onlay and inlay is of silver but has not been tested.

Provenance. The William Keith Neal Collection (tag number G24) from which it was sold at Christies, London, 8th November, 1995, lot 81.