A rare Ottoman ivory-mounted miquelet-lock rifle, Turkey, mid-18th century

the pattern-welded barrel chiselled with lobed cartouches, decorated throughout with natural and green-stained marine-ivory and ivory designed as inlaid mosaic hexagrams and silver plaques, the stock with bands of mother-of-pearl, brass studs and raised plaques set with coloured stones, the toothed flintlock with gilt-overlaid motifs, the barrel clasped to the understock by capuchines of gilt-brass engraved with a foliate design

R. Hales, Islamic and Oriental Arms and Armour: A Lifetime's Passion, 2013, p.270, no.652. 

In general good condition, some rubbing to surface and resulting loss of gilding, the coloured stones probably later replacements, few hexagrams missing and some minor sections of ivory replaced, some encrustation to surface of mother-of-pearl, underside of barrel with replaced metal leaf, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A notable feature of this richly decorated rifle is its white and green-stained ivory design, marking it out as a type which was ascribed to the Ottoman palace guards. 

Comparable examples of ivory-mounted Ottoman guns are in a number of Museum and Institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no.32.75.270), the Military Museum in Istanbul (Palace of Gold and Light, Washington, 2000, p.160, no.E25), the Victoria & Albert Museum (A. North, An Introduction to Arms and Armour, London, 1985, p.11, fig.3b), the Wallace Collection (G. Laking, Wallace Collection Catalogues: Oriental Arms and Armour, London, 1914, no.2091) and the Khalili Collection in London (Alexander 1992, pp.126-9, nos.72 and 73; Paris 1988, no.42), as well as two privately owned in Denmark (Islamic Arms and Armour from Danish Private Collections, Copenhagen, 1982, nos.40 and 41) and a number of others.

Two examples of the same type were sold in these rooms, 7 October 2009, lot 188, and 13 October 2004, lot 155.