A PAIR OF 23-BORE BAVARIAN FLINTLOCK FOWLING-PIECES WITH FINELY ENGRAVED SILVER MOUNTS, BY ELFERDING, ONOLZBACH (ANSBACH), CIRCA 1725-30 each with barrel of Spanish form with three gilt lily marks and the maker's gilt stamp, a paschal lamb with the letters "EL", silver fore-sight, signed bevelled lock with engraved wavy linear borders and engraved with small leaf ornaments, carved moulded figured walnut full stock, the butt flattened along its underside, full silver mounts cast in low relief, the butt-plate and the trigger-guard each with chiselled acanthus finial, the butt-plate engraved with a bird-of-prey and with a trophy pendant from scrollwork, the side-plate flat and finely engraved with a pierced Laub und Bandelwerk pattern suspending a vacant oval and involving monsters' heads at both ends, three faceted baluster-shaped ramrod-pipes, and shield-shaped escutcheons also of silver (one barrel re-blued, the locks each acid-cleaned, the fore-ends each chipped and extensively cracked, one ramrod-pipe detached, the ramrods each missing). 110.5cm; 43 ½ in barrels (2)The maker's stamps are not previously recorded. £2500-3000