Aus Burgen und Schlössern - Ausgesuchte Kunst und Kunsthandwerk von der Antike bis ins 20. Jhdt.

289 | A group of 32 flintlock rifles from the Armoury of the Royal House of Hanover The following collection of 32 early flintlock rifles was pro- duced circa 1700 for Duke George I of Braunschweig-Lüne- burg, who also reigned as King of England in personal union from 1714. The guns were held in the Armoury of the Royal House of Hanover for three centuries before passing as a com- plete group into private ownership in 2000. Although some were made by different gun makers, the uni- form style of the group gives them a homogenous appearance. Only a closer inspection reveals the minor variations and dis- tinguishing features of the individual firearms. For example, in addition to two pairs of rifles, several weapons have a rare crossover stock. These were specially made for the monarch, who was blind in the right eye. The highlight is a shotgun with an early breech-loading action, which could be fitted with ready loaded chambers. The firearms are sure to delight, thanks to their good, arsenal-maintained condition. As far as we know, this is the only surviving group from a royal armoury that is still in private ownership today. Many armouries, such as those belonging to the princes of Salm-­ Reifferscheidt, have been closed down and their contents dis- posed of all over the world. Other armoury collections have been acquired en bloc by museums and are thus no longer available on the market. This is therefore a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase an entire group of decorative hunting rifles from a significant royal armoury. Photos of all rifles are available on www.hermann-historica.com. 273567 II + € 95.000