doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Very rare shotgun Johann Nowotny of Prague

A friend has a very rare shotgun and would like to know if someone can give some light....

It is a very old damascus shotgun made by J Nowotny of Prague.- Very nice with many details. I was not aware of this name.

The most strange thing is that left barrel has a complete rifling with a 40mm long chamber, and the right barrel has straight rifling with a 70mm chamber!!!!

I have never seen a 40mm long chamber, not have I seen a straight rifling.

Little more can I say, I include as many photos as I have been able to make (I was in a hurry)

Any idea on such strange details?

and some more....

and some more....

Wonderful gun in great condition. Be glad that no one tried to separate the forend with a pry bar. Good luck in your search for the cartridge that fits in that left barrel.

The left barrel was made to be used with a single projectile (bullet). If it had been made after proof laws were implemented, the left barrel would have been proofed as a rifle. Early on, brass cases were available in bore sizes from 40 to 76 mm long and even longer. The right barrel was made to shoot shot; the straight grooves were thought (hoped) to give room for black powder fouling. I have recently read the purpose was to concentrate the shot during "pre choke" days, I can't say what they were thinking, but the utility for this is doubtful.
Mike

I have a Sauer, steel barrels, that is somewhat similar. It has a 16 gauge smooth barrel and a right barrel chambered for a 20 ga brass cartridge 40mm long. It appears to be a 16 gauge barrel like the left smoothbore, but it was bored to 20 ga, rifled to 16 ga and chambered to use a 20 ga brass case with a 16 ga ball seated. It functions well and is reasonably accurate. These were made in numerous lengths of cartridge.

I also have a French gun that is full length rifled in one barrel. No choke and very shallow rifling; only a few thousandths high and very slow twist. The smooth barrel is choked IC. These were marketed by the maker, I believe, as a Woodcock model. The idea was that the left barrel was the "tight" barrel and the right barrel acted as a spreader barrel for even closer shots.

I believe the statement is correct that it was intended to prevent spinning in an effort to keep the pattern tighter. Given that the right barrel is rifled to stabilize a round ball or slug, I suspect the intent was to shoot buckshot through the left barrel in as tight a pattern as possible.

Very nice Jones Underlever /Lefaucheux Platform w/ the 1873 Deeley & Edge forend fastener from the man of the House of 1000 guns. Yes indeed, the right tube has >>Hair Rifling<< or "„Haarzüge“. I can't say for certain, but with the >>Pour<< in the text on the top rib, components or a platform from Liége. I am quite confident though that the stamps on the flats are those of the Ferlach Proof Facility and are a result of the November 25th, 1882 Imperial & Royal Provincial Government degree. Upon arrival @ the Ferlach Proof facility the diameter was measure and then the 1st proof. The diameter is on the right flat & the mark of the 1st proof(EF)(maybe EP for Prag??) was applied.

I can't fully read the text on the top rib but it is some like J. Novotný Fabrikant Pour........ So Novotny made it for another retailer.

Lovely cupped hammers.

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forum...mp;Words=hair&Search=true#Post662403

An Austrian Cape, 2 Barrel Set, with Hair Rifling, of which I am a Custodian.


Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

>>Prague gunsmith Johann Novotný is considered one of the best gunsmiths of the late nineteenth century. He was born in 1839 as the son of a teacher in Trepin. After his apprenticeship with his uncle in Vienna, he worked in Pest and Prague (with Lebeda and Mach). In 1865, he founded his own arms manufacturing company in Prague and married in 1867. He exhibited at many international exhibitions (e.g.: Vienna 1866, Prague 1872, Vienna 1873, Paris 1878, Prague 1879, Trieste 1882, Barcelona 1888, Prague 1891 and 1895). He was a supplier of arms to the monarchs of Austria-Hungary, Russia, the Netherlands, Montenegro, Serbia and Italy. He held many patents, awards and decorations. His importance is also emphasized by the summer office in Karlovy Vary. He died in 1893. The company was then run by his wife Marie until 1899, when she passed it on to Anton Novotný. Weapons production continued until his death in 1938.<<

I believe this info is somewhat correct for Jan Novotny or Johann Novotný, Fella w/ the House of 1000 Guns....

Said Uncle was Matthias Novotný, which thru a Love Triangle & subsequent suicide became J. Springer in Vienna(Wien)

https://germanhuntingguns.com/archives/springer-johann-erben/

https://germanhuntingguns.com/archives/nowotny-matthias-vienna/


Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

I have a percussion SXS rifle inlaid in gold on the top rib "J SPRINGER VORM. NOWOTNY IN WEIN" It is an 18 bore. the Right barrel is rifled in a 26 inch twist and the left barrel is straight rifling.

Your example would date to probably just after the suicide in 1857? There just might be a date on the underside of the tubeset. NOTE that Springer's Erben probably uses the date that Matthias Novotny hung out his shingle?

Where were all these >>Hair Rifling<< or "„Haarzüge“ when we were discussing them in the basement a couple months back?


>>Interesting soap opera on the Mathais Nowonty & Johann Springer relationship. More than likely, Johann Springer was an apprentice at Mathais Nowotny's shop. Mathais Nowotny was born in Leitmertz(Litomerice) in Bohemia. In 1838(1836??) he moved to Vienna and I bet Johann Springer was on his walkabout. In 1847 Johann Springer married the sister of Mathais Nowotny. Then in 1852 Springer leased Mathais Nowotny's shop, or some portion thereof, while Mathais Nowotny built a small weapons making facility and acquired the proper permits. Mathais Nowotny was a maker to one of the courts by this time. Some love triangle developed and Mathais Nowotny(Novotny) couldn't accept or deal with it, so he commited suicide in 1857. Shortly after the self inflicted mortal bullet wound, Mathais Nowotny's widow sold the business and the small weapons factory to brother-in-law Springer.<<


https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=232432

Please pleasure us with some fotos......




Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse