This c. 1850s rifle form Johann Rieger of Munich has elaborate scroll, floral, and relief chiseled game panel scenes with silver and gold inlays. The designs include wolves and prey animals on the lock, a stag on the patch box, a wolf or fox on the upper tang, a roe stag on the trigger guard finial, and a dog and boar on the side plate. The figured walnut stock has finely relief carved interlaced scroll designs on the forend tip and wrist, a scroll pattern wood trigger guard, a large cheek rest, and a highly detailed scene of a reposed doe on the left side of the butt. The rifle also has a false muzzle, small post front sight on a ramp, notch rear sight with long finial with ornate pierced designs, peep sight on an integral base on the upper tang, "Rieger in Munchen" in silver inlay on top of the barrel, silver inlaid geometric and meander designs on the breech,"3853" on the heel of the buttplate and a leather sling attached to the swivels on the rear ramrod pipe and bottom of the butt. Provenance: The Tom Lewis Collection

Fine with crisp engraving, most of the bright original gold remaining, attractive aged patina on the silver inlays, light original brown finish and twist patterns visible along the barrel, mostly smooth gray and brown patina throughout the metal, some light oxidation, and mild overall wear. the stock is also fine and has crisp carving, some minor cracks and repairs mainly due to the figure and grain of the wood, and general mild dings and scratches. Mechanically fine.