A Rare German Bone-Inlaid Matchlock Rifle, Dated 1617.

A Rare German Bone-Inlaid Matchlock Rifle, Dated 1617. This exceptional seventeenth-century German matchlock hunting rifle represents a sample of Baroque-era arms, featuring a substantial octagonal-to-round steel barrel and a masterful walnut stock. The woodwork is profusely decorated with intricate bone inlays, meticulously engraved to depict stylized floral blossoms, acorns, and classical foliate scrolls characteristic of Central European craftsmanship. A central oval bone plaque on the buttstock is inscribed with the date 1617 alongside a heraldic shield and the initials H V, identifying its specific historical origin and suggesting an aristocratic provenance. The steel barrel is distinguished by two circular gold-inlaid maker's marks at the breech, depicting a pair of crossed axes and a monogram with the initials CS. The firearm is equipped with an authentic matchlock ignition system, a mechanism synonymous with European hunting traditions of the early seventeenth century. With a total length of 145 cm and a caliber of 17.5 mm, this rifle stands as both a formidable hunting implement and a prestigious artistic artifact. The item is in Excellent condition.