Original German 16 bore Double Barrel Percussion Converted Shotgun by Christian Körber of Ingelfingen c. 1790 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a very nice late 18th Century German Double Barreled shotgun, made by maker Christian Körber of Ingelfingen. We have found some other examples of his work, and he made higher end shotguns, often with extensive ornamentation. This example was originally quite the looker, with a carved rear trigger guard, checkered wrist, and silver nail ornaments around the wrist as well. The top of the barrel also has silver inlaid designs. Unfortunately time and use have somewhat dimmed its shine. We have left it as we received it out of an estate sale, preserving the lovely patina and history of this piece.

The shotgun is in 16 bore, a popular size for fowling, and was originally constructed as a flintlock, later converted to percussion. It features double 31 inch long barrels, with an overall length of 47 inches. The right side lock is marked Körber, while the left side is marked in Ingelfingen. The top barrel flats and the rib are marked with the same information, inlaid with silver, some of which is now missing:-

CHRISTIAN KÖRBER
IN
INGELFINGEN

The gun is fitted iron original mounts, with a white metal star inlaid on the left butt stock cheek piece, and a small escutcheon on the wrist. There are also some sheet brass components, however these are not original, and were added to repair the shotgun after the stock was split. One surrounds the barrel wedge area, holding together the split sections, while still allowing the barrel wedge to be fit. This was however lost, and another brass piece was added in front of it to act as a barrel band.

Both locks are functional, however the tumblers are quite worn, so neither side has a functional half cocked position. The metalwork has a lovely aged patina, though it looks to have been painted black at some point to improve the appearance, which is still partly present. The butt plate looks to be original, but it is quite rusted, and currently loose, as only the top screw is still installed. The original ramrod is present, with the correct large end, and an intact “worm” clearing plug on the smaller end. It is held in place by three iron pipes, with a sling swivel fitted on the middle one, and there is also a butt stock sling swivel.

A very interesting German Shotgun, full of history! Reach to research and display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: circa 1790 – converted later
Caliber: 16.8mm = 16 gauge / bore
Cartridge Type: Cap and Powder with Shot
Barrel Length: 31 Inches
Overall Length: 47 Inches
Action type: Side Action Percussion Locks
Feed System: Muzzle Loaded

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