A FINE 25 BORE OTTOMAN MIQUELET-LOCK RIFLE, TURKEY, CIRCA 1780

A FINE 25 BORE OTTOMAN MIQUELET-LOCK RIFLE, TURKEY, CIRCA 1780 with octagonal barrel rifled with seven grooves, retained by four chased silver bands, encrusted with gold scrolls and flowers at the muzzle and the breech, the middle section with three gold-encrusted inscriptions and further sprays of gold foliage, struck with the barrelsmith's mark on the left of the breech and fitted with standing back-sight also encrusted with gold, the tang overlaid with an engraved silver plaque, characteristic lock encrusted with gold scrolls of foliage within a beadwork frame, matching cock and steel, steel button trigger, figured hardwood full stock applied with a large openwork silver plaque beneath the lock, faceted butt formed of dark hardwood bands filled with panels of coloured bone inlays forming stars framed by green and white bone fillets and a band of engraved silver, profusely applied with further elaborate openwork silver plaques, a large engraved silver plaque about the barrel tang, silver barrel bolt escutcheons, green-stained horn fore-end cap inlaid with brass pellets, and iron ramrod 83.2 cm barrel