03 Double-Barreled (over-and-under) French Flintlock Gun, D. Wacholt, Bratislava, 1720

Multi-fire hunting weapons appeared in small numbers as early as the 16^th century. As the weight of multi-barrelled weapons increased considerably, double-barrelled rifles were acceptable for hunting purposes, although there are also examples with a higher number of barrels. In earlier times, single-barrelled hunting rifles were absolutely predominant and when double-barrelled weapons were found, they were weapons with two over and under barrels. The barrels were either fixed and then the gun needed two locking mechanisms or the gun had rotating barrels, called a wender, where one lock was sufficient. This is also the case with this luxury gun from the workshop of the Bratislava-based gunsmith Daniel Wacholt.

Its cylindrical over and under barrels become octagonal at the rear and are fitted with a 15 mm calibre smooth bore design. Above the chamber, they are decorated with engraved and gilded floral and geometric ornaments. Both barrels are marked with two embossed gilt rifle marks. The first one has a four-line inscription under the crown with the name and surname of the maker, “DANIEL WACHOLT”. In the second mark, which is rectangular, a figure of a lion is stamped. Both barrels have brass front sights. The barrels are rotatable backwards when the trigger guard is pressed.

The weapon is fitted with one French flintlock with a cock located on the right side of the stock, and two battery-frizzens located on the barrels. Because of that, the lock plate is split. On the back of the lock, there is a full-length engraving on a rough gilt background dominated by a bust of a woman with a crown. The counter-plate is decorated with a floral ornament and a bust of a man using the same technique. The decoration on the separate fronts of the interlocking plates and on the pans was done using the same technique. Plant and geometric ornaments dominate here. The steel trigger guard extends into the butt and covers one trigger. The front part of the trigger guard is richly decorated with a hunting dog motif. The buttplate is decorated with floral and linear ornaments and the figure of a female hunter.

Length 1,010 mm, barrel length 607 mm, calibre 15 mm, weight 2,840 g.