A Flintlock Sporting Gun of Unusually Small Bore by Bate, Circa 1775. With two-stage sighted barrel, long octagonal breech signed on a foliate silver panel on the top flat, and inlaid with engraved silver foliage on the three top flats behind the turned girdle, slender gold lines and large gold-lined touch-hole, tang finely engraved with foliage and a cornucopia of flowers, later border engraved flat lock inscribed 'Bate' and with safety-catch, rainproof pan and roller, figured half-stock carved in relief with a shell behind the barrel tang, chequered grip with a circle in the centre of each diamond, skeleton butt, finely engraved steel mounts comprising pierced butt-plate (some pitting and old bruising to the wooden heel), trigger-guard decorated with a sporting trophy and foliage on the bow, trigger-plate with scallop shell finial, border engraved vacant silver escutcheon, steel fore-end cap engraved with a starburst and also forming the ramrod-entry, and horn ramrod with iron worm, London proof mark and indistinct barrelsmith's mark 

Notes:

Edward Bate is famous as a maker of air weapons. For an example with a similar skeleton stock see Christie's London, Fine Antique Weapons from the W. Keith Neal Collection, 9 November 2000, lot 23

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