Matyáš Novotný from the North Bohemian town of Litoměřice was one of the leading Czech gunsmiths of the first half of the 19th century. In 1829, he took part in the Prague Industrial Exhibition and was awarded a bronze medal. He exhibited various hunting double-barelled rifles, mostly with damascus steel or “wire” barrels, decorated with gold and platinum.
Among the weapons on display, we can see a rifle with four cocks (probably this specimen); the upper cocks of which served to cock the mechanism and the lower ones to strike the match. This design was supposed to, in Novotný’s words, ensure that “no smoke got in front of the eyes”. Apparently, this design was not of any value, as no other example is known. However, guns with solely lower cocks do exist and their purpose was to not restrict the shooter’s view when aiming. They also document the shady idea that bottom-lit powder burns faster.
Length 1,190 mm, barrel length 782 mm, 14 mm calibre, weight 2,714 g.