A Rare, Possible Unique Cased 32 Bore Percussion Rifle for Superimposed Loads with Extra 12 Bore Barrels by W & J Kavanagh Dublin.
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47 ½” overall, shotgun with double twist iron 31 2/4” barrels engraved ‘W & J KAVANAGH 12 DANE STREET DUBLIN’ on the sighting rib and numbered 2273, the octagonal single multi-groove rifle barrel, the top-flat signed 'W. & J. KAVANAGH 12 DANE STREET DUBLIN', silver blade fore-sight, dove-tailed standing notch rear-sight, shaped full-width scroll engraved breech-block with two nipples and a further raised border and scroll engraved panel to the centre, the right hand side with moulded side buttress drilled with the ignition flue, both sides with moulded walnut fore-end fillets, border and acanthus scroll engraved top tang, border, acanthus scroll and game scene engraved bar action locks with dipped tails and signed 'KAVANAGH' forwards of the scroll engraved dolphin headed hammers. Figured walnut half-stock chequered at the wrist, engraved iron furniture, silver escutcheons to wrist and barrel key and brass mounted mahogany ramrods with both sets of barrel. In it’s original brass cornered stained oak case, compartmented and lined with green baize for the gun with both sets of barrels and including a number of original accessories including brass powder flask, leather shot bag ,glass oil bottle, bullet moulds, two wadcutters, nipple key, turn screw and cap tin.
Serial no. 2273, circa 1845
A one off design this does not appear to be a copy of any similar type, the removable barrel flue for transmission of the ignition was not used in any other firearm as far as I can discover. See Superimposed Load Firearms 1360-1860 by D.R.Baxter.
In good condition but both barrels refinished.
Kavanagh, W. & J. Shop at 12 Dane Street, Dublin 1838-1923 Firm established by William Kavanagh [Cavanagh] father of William & John in 1779 and closed in 1923. A Directory of the Early Irish Gunmakers by D Stroud pages 184 to 190