"Rare Silesian Tschinke Wheel-Lock Sporting Rifle – Breslau School, ca. 1590–1620 (AL10281)

Description:
"An exceptional and highly important early wheel-lock sporting rifle of the classic Silesian Tschinke form, attributed to the Breslau (Wroclaw) school of Upper Silesia and dating to approximately 1590–1620. This elegant long-barreled example represents the apex of late 16th-century Central European hunting arms, produced for aristocratic or wealthy burgher clientele during the formative period of the sporting rifle. The rifle features a slender octagonal barrel measuring 38 inches, retaining its fine sighting rib and elegant early profile, with a small hunting bore of approximately .33 caliber, well suited to roe deer, chamois, and precision target shooting. Overall length is 49 inches, confirming this as a full-length, early sporting configuration rather than a later shortened variant. The long barrel and small caliber are characteristic of high-grade civilian hunting arms produced in Silesia around 1600. The stock exhibits the classic Breslau architectural form, with a pronounced angular butt, sharply defined step at the wrist, high comb, and extended beaked toe. It is profusely decorated with elaborate brass wire scroll inlay and extensive mother-of-pearl ornamentation throughout, including numerous rondels and dot borders. The highlight is the large oval engraved mother-of-pearl medallion in the butt, depicting a fortified cityscape with towers and walls—an iconic decorative motif encountered on only the finest Breslau workshop pieces of this period. The wheel-lock mechanism is finely engraved with early scrolling foliage, featuring a long-neck external dog, large pan cover, and flat lockplate of correct early form, exhibiting the refined mechanical layout associated with turn-of-the-17th-century Silesian manufacture. Furniture is of engraved steel, including trigger guard and lock fittings, all harmonizing with the high decorative standard of the piece. This rifle displays the defining characteristics of the Breslau school: bold butt architecture, dense mixed brass and nacre inlay, early long-barreled sporting proportions, and refined lock construction. Comparable examples reside in major European collections and museums, and surviving arms of this quality and completeness are scarce. Measurements: Barrel length: 38 inches Overall length: 49 inches Caliber: approximately .33 A superb and historically significant early sporting arm, representing the golden age of the   Silesian wheel-lock rifle and an outstanding addition to any advanced collection of Renaissance firearms or Central European arms. 

Antique: Yes

Price: $18,500.00