VERY RARE AND MAGNIFICENT GERMAN WHEELOCK RIFLE WITH FULLY CARVED STOCK BY GEORG MAUCHER THE ELDER OR HIS SON GEORG THE YOUNGER OF SCHWABISCH-GMUND CIRCA 1650, EX-COLLECTION WILLIAM SIMON, US SECRETARY OF TREASURY.

SN NSN. This fabulously carved wheelock is convincingly attributed as an autograph work to one of the two Mauchers by Dr. Stuart W. Phyrr, Emeritus Curator of Arms and Armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Dr. Phyrr states in a letter dated August 1, 2000: “Although the rifle is not signed, I think it is safe to assign the carving of the stock to Georg Maucher or his son Georg.” The heavy rifled octagonal barrel is relatively plain. The flat lock has a wheel cover engraved with two female figures and the hammer is engraved with a warrior’s face surmounting a serpent. A pierced lever actuated the hair trigger. The iron triggerguard is decorated with light but well executed engraving. Maucher rifles all have relatively plain metalwork so as not to compete with the artistic glories of the carved wooden stocks and polished bone panels. The stock on the rifle is superbly carved throughout its length and the coverage is so extensive that it takes up more than 95% of its surface. The fore-end is carved with scenes of the hunt and animals engaged in chasing other animals. The area forward of the lock is carved with a nude female figure, likely Diana, Goddess of the Hunt. A monster head adorns the ramrod channel and a large man’s head is carved below the lock. The underside of the stock is carved with foliage ending in a large hare. The sideplate area depicts an extensive scene in which a hunter in 17th century costume is piercing a stag beset by three hounds. The patchbox depicts a sylvan scene in which a woman holds a lyre playing to a boar, a horse, a stag, a unicorn, an elephant, a lion, a rabbit, a dog, a doe, and a bull. The upper edge of the stock features foliage and the hunt while the cheekpiece is carved with a woodland scene in which a crowned king sits in a chariot drawn by two horses. He holds a globe (orb) in his left hand and a scepter in his right, the classic posture of a European monarch. The inside edge of the cheekpiece is carved with a boar being attacked by three hounds while a hunted holds a boarspear. This rifle is likely the forth in a series of Maucher masterpieces made for European Royalty with allegorical representations of the Four Continents: Africa in Vienna, America in Dresden, and Asia in the Metropolitan Museum. The crowned monarch in this rifle represents Europe (Europa). Being the previously undiscovered rifle in such an important series, which was obviously a royal commission, makes this Maucher masterpiece more than a supreme work of art by of one of history’s finest woodcarvers. This rifle is a true treasure firearm and represents as does the Maucher flintlock pistol, a rare if not unique opportunity for the collector or institution to acquire one of the finest examples of the gunmaker’s art. PROVENANCE: William Simon Collection; Eric Vaule Collection; Lot 568A James D. Julia Auctions, October 10, 2000. CONDITION: The rifle is original and in fine condition throughout. The barrel and lock have been cleaned to natural steel color in the European tradition leaving the slightest traces of fine pitting. There are a few extremely minor imperfections in the carving and slight chipping in the ramrod channel. A small wood sliver on the left side of the barrel near the for-end is a replacement. The polished bone forend tip itself has its 1/2″ top section replaced area on the left side of of less patinaed bone carved to match. There is a professionally restored break between on bottom of gun running about 6″ on flat panel in same plane of lockspring tapering on either side terminating where ramrod enters stock; this professional conservation occurred about 20 years ago when gun fell from display when in Secretary Simon’s Collection. Regardless, overall the Maucher Europa rifle is in a remarkable state of preservation. 49867-1 (60,000-80,000) – Lot 2288

| Click here to view provenance

Auction: Firearms - March 2016

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2288	$0.00	VERY RARE AND MAGNIFICENT GERMAN WHEELOCK RIFLE WITH FULLY CARVED STOCK BY GEORG MAUCHER THE ELDER OR HIS SON GEORG THE YOUNGER OF SCHWABISCH-GMUND CIRCA 1650, EX-COLLECTION WILLIAM SIMON, US SECRETARY OF TREASURY. SN NSN. This fabulously carved wheelock is convincingly attributed as an autograph work to one of the two Mauchers by Dr. Stuart W. Phyrr, Emeritus Curator of Arms and Armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Dr. Phyrr states in a letter dated August 1, 2000: “Although the rifle is not signed, I think it is safe to assign the carving of the stock to Georg Maucher or his son Georg.” The heavy rifled octagonal barrel is relatively plain. The flat lock has a wheel cover engraved with two female figures and the hammer is engraved with a warrior’s face surmounting a serpent. A pierced lever actuated the hair trigger. The iron triggerguard is decorated with light but well executed engraving. Maucher rifles all have relatively plain metalwork so as not to compete with the artistic glories of the carved wooden stocks and polished bone panels. The stock on the rifle is superbly carved throughout its length and the coverage is so extensive that it takes up more than 95% of its surface. The fore-end is carved with scenes of the hunt and animals engaged in chasing other animals. The area forward of the lock is carved with a nude female figure, likely Diana, Goddess of the Hunt. A monster head adorns the ramrod channel and a large man’s head is carved below the lock. The underside of the stock is carved with foliage ending in a large hare. The sideplate area depicts an extensive scene in which a hunter in 17th century costume is piercing a stag beset by three hounds. The patchbox depicts a sylvan scene in which a woman holds a lyre playing to a boar, a horse, a stag, a unicorn, an elephant, a lion, a rabbit, a dog, a doe, and a bull. The upper edge of the stock features foliage and the hunt while the cheekpiece is carved with a woodland scene in which a crowned king sits in a chariot drawn by two horses. He holds a globe (orb) in his left hand and a scepter in his right, the classic posture of a European monarch. The inside edge of the cheekpiece is carved with a boar being attacked by three hounds while a hunted holds a boarspear. This rifle is likely the forth in a series of Maucher masterpieces made for European Royalty with allegorical representations of the Four Continents: Africa in Vienna, America in Dresden, and Asia in the Metropolitan Museum. The crowned monarch in this rifle represents Europe (Europa). Being the previously undiscovered rifle in such an important series, which was obviously a royal commission, makes this Maucher masterpiece more than a supreme work of art by of one of history’s finest woodcarvers. This rifle is a true treasure firearm and represents as does the Maucher flintlock pistol, a rare if not unique opportunity for the collector or institution to acquire one of the finest examples of the gunmaker’s art. PROVENANCE: William Simon Collection; Eric Vaule Collection; Lot 568A James D. Julia Auctions, October 10, 2000. CONDITION: The rifle is original and in fine condition throughout. The barrel and lock have been cleaned to natural steel color in the European tradition leaving the slightest traces of fine pitting. There are a few extremely minor imperfections in the carving and slight chipping in the ramrod channel. A small wood sliver on the left side of the barrel near the for-end is a replacement. The polished bone forend tip itself has its 1/2″ top section replaced area on the left side of of less patinaed bone carved to match. There is a professionally restored break between on bottom of gun running about 6″ on flat panel in same plane of lockspring tapering on either side terminating where ramrod enters stock; this professional conservation occurred about 20 years ago when gun fell from display when in Secretary Simon’s Collection. Regardless, overall the Maucher Europa rifle is in a remarkable state of preservation. 49867-1 (60,000-80,000) – Lot 2288 \| Click here to view provenance Auction: Firearms - March 2016 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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VERY RARE AND MAGNIFICENT GERMAN WHEELOCK RIFLE WITH FULLY CARVED STOCK BY GEORG MAUCHER THE ELDER OR HIS SON GEORG THE YOUNGER OF SCHWABISCH-GMUND CIRCA 1650, EX-COLLECTION WILLIAM SIMON, US SECRETARY OF TREASURY.