A Fine & Rare Brass Barrelled Flintlock Sporting Gun by Griffin and Tow.
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45” overall, 29 ½” 16 bore round slightly swamped brass barrel fitted with silver bead foresight, engraved ‘Griffin & Tow London’ on the top flat with London proofs and IG barrel smith’s stamp, breech engraved with beads, foliage engraved steel tang, florally engraved stepped, bevelled lock with hound’s tooth engraved border signed ‘Griffin & Tow’. Flat engraved swan necked cock, spoon shaped pan, frizzen spring with acorn finial. Figured walnut take down stock retained by three slides. Shell carving around tang. Brass mounts including engraved butt plate and side plate, shell bordered escutcheon. Iron tipped wooden ramrod with worm. With collection and sale tags.
Dated 1775.
Brass barrelled sporting guns are exceptionally rare. In very good condition, barrel has been shortened from its original length of about 38”.
Provenance Arthur Rosling Collection and Keith Neal Collection lot 42, 25th October 2001 Christies
Exhibited The British Sporting exhibition January 1938 Cat.No.14.
See Messrs Griffin & Tow by Neal and Black pages 79-80 plate 27 a-c.
Joseph Son of Benjamin. Apprenticed to Samuel Blanckley, turned over to father, 1741; free of Gunmakers CO., 1750. Proof piece and mark 1759. Elected Assistant, 1759; Master, 1762, 1763. Appointed Gentlemen Armourer to His Majestys Stables-in-Ordinary, 1760. Gunmaker to His Majesty near the Duke of Graftons, Bond Street., 1763. In partnership with father until 1770, then with John Tow, 1772-82. Died in 1784. Succeeded by John Tow.