I've stumbled across an interesting Italian double which is marked as being a G. Zanicotti. It's not a maker I recognize and I was wondering if anyone was familiar with this maker.
The gun is quite striking: It's a sidelock ejector, 12 gauge, with 28-1/4 inch barrels. Filed rib. Rounded action, not stocked to the fences, but stocked with a gorgeous piece of walnut and finished with a very nicely executed leather-covered recoil pad. 70 mm chambers. Proof marks include the following, running from the breech end of the barrel toward the muzzle: crown over Nitro, 12, 70mm, crown over script letters TL or FL (hard to make out) with the letters inside an oval, a human figure with a plumed hat or helmet shooting a rifle or cross-bow (really hard to see clearly - I assume this might be a maker's mark?), crown over Finito. Right barrel flat has the numeral 1936 inside a rectangle with rounded corners, left barrel flat has crown over PSF. Right barrel is stamped Cal20x(?)3 over Can70. Also stamped Kg 1.298 and 18.4 17.8 (which I assume to be bore diameter and choke). Left barrel stamped 18.4 and 17.4. Water table is marked crown over Finito, crown over PSF, the knight again, crown over another crown or shape with crossed rifles on the lower item, the TL or FL in script in the oval again, 5487 over 487. On top of the left barrel, near the breech, the words "Construiti per ordine della detta G Zanicotti Cremona" appear in a single line. Triggers are checkered, front is hinged. Has a double underlug with a hidden third fastener. Action is completely covered with rose and scoll or ribbon engraving. Gold inlaid pigeon on the rib at the breech end of the barrels and gold inlaid crown on the toplever. Two screw holes in the lower rib, with filler screws, probably where a sling swivel base once was located or to permit the installation of one. No evidence that one was ever present. Weight is 1/10 ounce shy of seven pounds.
So, has anyone ever heard of this maker? Can you give me any idea of the likely value of such a critter, at least a range? I will say that it was on a rack next to two Piottis, one of them a Monaco (and I've forgotten what the other Piotti sidelock was), and it held its own quite nicely.
Thanks for the help.
