Possibly ethnographic gun, of European form

[RDGAC]

Salutations again, fellas, and a Merry Christmas and a happy new year to one and all.

Over the festive period, I've been lucky enough to receive a gift! It comes courtesy of a very kind and interesting lady I met at our museum, and as with my beloved jezail, it's once more a firearm. Groan, boo, hiss, I know - swords are fine, but guns make me tick

This particular weapon has a bit of an interesting history, what little of it I know. It has hung, for many years, over the fireplace of a guest house in Wales. This has, I suspect, done nothing for the wood, which is slightly damp and has fractured in places behind the lock. The previous owner of the house was a family whose second son went in the Army (as was the custom in those days for the wealthier end of the populace), and spent some time out in India - as most soldiers did at one time or another. Nothing more can be gleaned about it at present, but when the lady from whom I obtained it placed it muzzle-down for packing, she told me that black powder emerged from the barrel; it's obviously seen use.

Given its general design and proportions, and the fact that the guest house was once used (among other things) as a shooting lodge (and had its own gun room), I surmise that this gun was or is a fowling piece. So far, so good, you might think - but why is it in the ethnographic bit of the forum? Well, something about it isn't quite right.

Firstly, it has no British proof marks on the barrel. Since this is a percussion gun, it seems fairly likely that it might have been required to be proofed by law (the Gun Barrel Proof Act, 1868); moreover, a wealthy family would surely go to the trouble and expense of getting a gun that they (or their guests) were likely to shoot proofed even before the Act made it mandatory.

Secondly, the lockplate bears no marks at all that I can find, and nor does the lock within, save on the hammer. This has been decorated with what seem to be depictions of animals, including a rabbit, and a dotted border at its edge; I would say that this work was done by hand, judging by its irregularity and relative imprecision.

Thirdly, the build quality. The barrel displays a very slight kink (which I would put down to damage in use), but that aside, there are a couple of noteworthy points: the hammer does not strike the nipple squarely, instead striking rather towards the top of the hammer and the front of the nippkle. The snail, also, seems fairly roughly worked, without the precision I'd expect of a European gun of the period. The ramrod pipes have been brazed to their attachment strake beneath the barrel well, but roughly, and the strake itself wanders from dead centre. The trigger, meanwhile, is definitely and noticeably offset to the right, while the trigger guard (itself slightly rough) remains much more to the centre of the stock. Without wishing to malign ethnographic arms-makers, these seem a little out of place in a European sporting gun of the percussion period.

And, to add to the oddness, the whole thing is held together by modern, machine-made screws. Well, I say held together; in fact, the two lock screws do nothing of the kind. The trigger, meanwhile, pivots about a nail so modern it appears to be of galvanised steel with a chequered head!

Anyway, enough rabbiting by me. I look forward to your input, as always. Some numbers:

Overall length: 42.5in (butt-plate to muzzle)
Barrel length: 27.5in (base of tang to muzzle)
Bore: .62in /20-bore (approximate)
Action: Percussion
Year of manufacture: Unknown
Manufacturer: Unknown
Proof marks: None found

And some pictures!