A D.B. 12 BORE FRENCH PERCUSSION SPORTING GUN BY CUSSON A CLERMONT FERRAND, CIRCA 1840, with brow

A D.B. 12 BORE FRENCH PERCUSSION SPORTING GUN BY CUSSON A CLERMONT FERRAND, CIRCA 1840, with browned twist sighted barrels encrusted with the gold inscription `Canons de Leclerc` on the rib, the breech decorated with a gold bird, chiselled with slender ribs enriched with gold lines (small losses), stamped with the barrelsmith`s marks of Jean Nicolas Leclerc (Neue Støckel 187) and the serial number 4719 beneath, finely engraved breech tang decorated with scrolls and a central medallion decorated with a hound and her puppy in two colours of gold, signed flush-fitting shaped locks finely engraved with differing landscapes enriched with hounds, game birds and the signature in two colours of gold, engraved shaped hammers matching the locks, highly figured walnut half-stocks, engraved steel mounts comprising butt-plate, scrollwork trigger-guard, rear ramrod-pipe and barrel bolt escutcheons each decorated en suite with the locks, two further ramrod-pipes and a pair of sling swivels, vacant silver escutcheon, and brass-tipped wooden ramrod (incomplete), 78.5cm; 30 7/8in barrels. Cusson is recorded in Clermont-Ferrand circa 1825-45.