A PAIR OF 12 BORE D.B. AUSTRIAN PIN-FIRE SPORTING GUNS BY JOH. SPRINGER VORM. NOWOTNY IN WIEN STA

A PAIR OF 12 BORE D.B. AUSTRIAN PIN-FIRE SPORTING GUNS BY JOH. SPRINGER VORM. NOWOTNY IN WIEN STADT SEILERGASSE, NOS. 2672 AND 2673, CIRCA 1865 with rebrowned twist sighted barrels signed on the flats, scroll-engraved slender breech tang incorporating a vacant silver escutcheon, scroll-engraved case-hardened rounded Lefaucheux type action operated by a rotary underlever, signed engraved case-hardened locks, figured walnut half-stocks with chequered grips and raised cheek-pieces (light bruising), scroll-engraved case-hardened steel trigger-guards decorated en suite with the actions and reinforced with a scrolling piece of horn behind, engraved case-hardened steel butt-plates numbered `19` and `20`, and `2673` and 2672` respectively, and a pair of steel sling swivels 74.5cm; 29 3/8in barrels Provenance The Crown Prince`s Gunroom, Schloss Cumberland, Gmunden Schloss Marienburg Johann Springer worked for Matthias Nowotny as gunmaker and engraver from 1840. He married Nowotny`s daughter in 1847 and took over the business ten years later.