A Brass-Barrelled Flintlock Blunderbuss By Lewis (Louis) Barbar of London, Early 18th Century With two-stage barrel flared at the muzzle and signed in capitals along the top of the breech, the ramp at the rear grooved for sighting, plain tang, signed rounded lock, rounded cock with dog-catch for the half-cock position, artificially figured rootwood full stock moulded around the lock (minor chip at the front) and with raised apron around the barrel tang, brass mounts comprising recurved rounded side-plate with central feature, butt-plate with long tapering tang, trigger-guard with moulded graduated finial fore and aft, turned baluster ramrod-pipes, and iron ramrod, London proof marks and Lewis Barbar's barrelsmith's mark 40.9 cm. barrel Footnotes: Louis 1 Barbar (d. 1741), a French Protestant, born in Essendun, Poitou, came to London circa 1688 to avoid persecution, and was naturalised in 1700. In 1704 he was made free of the Gunmakers' Company, and his proof piece ('a very fine piece') was passed. He was appointed Gentleman Armourer to King George I in 1717, and to George II in 1727 Today the largest group of firearms by Lewis Barbar is preserved in the armoury of the Duke of Buccleuch at Boughton House. They were made to the order of John, 2nd Duke of Montagu (1709-79) who was Master General of Ordnance from 1740 to 1749. The accounts at Boughton record payments to Barbar which include '£150 for 200 Muskets', and a letter of 7 June 1718 to the 2nd Duke of Montagu from his vicar mentions that Barbar was responsible for the display of the firearms in the house at that date For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing