"NARCISO ZULAICA SPANISH MADE DAMASCUS HAMMER DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN. SN NSN. Cal. 16 ga. Fantastic gold encrusted shotgun with 29-3/8" fine pattern Damascus bbls choked CYL/CYL with tapered concave smooth rib & sgl bead. Top rib is inlaid in gold "FA. de NARCISO ZULAICA EN EIBAR" and has initials "F.L.C.", probably the orig owner's initials. It has extractors with dbl underbites. It has underlever action with attached forearm and back action locks with all of metal encrusted with gold in various foliate & arabesque patterns with applied, raised gold flower blossoms. Lockplates additionally have a dove on each side and have a raised gold micro acanthus leaf border. It has deep scalloped gold-washed firing pin wells with gold encrusted screws and a raised dog's head on bottom front of receiver. Trigger guard & bottom tang have matching gold patterns with the small vignette of a duck. Triggers are gold plated. Mounted with very nicely figured, tiger-striped European walnut with full checkered forearm & straight hand stock with raised teardrop side panels, 13-3/4" over a checkered butt with heel & toeplates engraved & inlaid to match. Bottom of stock has a blank silver initial oval and it has narrow European sling loops. Page 1439 of Heer Der Neue Stockel 2, a listing of international gunmakers, shows Narciso Zulaica in Eibar (Spain) 1837-1840. A Google search disclosed a Spanish language listing for the same maker in Eibar in 1864. Given that this shotgun has rebounding hammers and the general overall appearance indicates last half of the 19th century production. Bbl flats have small cartouches, one of which is marked "EXP. / 77", possibly indicating manufacture date of 1877. Accompanied by an extraordinary Italian or Circassian walnut trunk case with multi-colored wood inlay in lid and engraved German silver corner reinforcements with an elaborate center medallion engraved "F.L.C." Interior is lined with royal blue velvet and is compartmented for shotgun with a full complement of tools & implements including a turn screw, a firing pin bushing wrench, powder & shot measures, ebony shotshell loading tool, a case trimmer, a stuck & broken shell extractor, a 3-pc brass & wood cleaning rod, a crimping tool and a Sharps-style nickel-plated bullet mold. Right rear corner has a covered compartment containing cleaning implements & orig key. Front of case has ivory keyhole escutcheons & a German silver carrying handle. Bore diameter: left - .679, right - .679. Bore restrictions: left - .000, right - ..000 Wall thickness: left - .031, right - .027. Drop at heel: 2-3/4", drop at comb: 1-3/4". Weight: 6 lbs. 12.16 oz. A truly extraordinary & complete garniture. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbls retain about all of their fine orig Damascus pattern with slight muzzle edge wear. Receiver, lockplates and all appended metal retain virtually all of their fine orig blue with some slight thinning on opening lever tab. Wood is sound with minor handling & storage marks and retains most of its fine orig factory finish. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bores. Case has several grain checks in lid and front with minor storage & handling marks with a slight warp in lid. Interior is complete & orig showing only very light wear from shotgun & bbls with no apparent fading. 8-87527 JR260 (27,500-40,000)"
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