AWARD WINNING 28 GA. CUSTOM BROWNING SUPERPOSED “THE LIGHTNING STRIKE” WITH SUPERB GOLD INLAY AND BULINO ENGRAVINGS OF PEREGRINE FALCON & PREY BY BRIAN HOCHSTRAT & STOCK WORK BY JERRY FISHER.
inv # 20-4345

Cal. 28 Ga.
S# B3303F71.

This superb piece of functional art began w/ a canvas of a 28 ga. Browning Superposed skeet gun w/ 28″ bbls. choked skeet & skeet. Metal work was finely polished and ornamental sideplates added. Thumb piece of top lever is pierced & relief engraved in acanthus scroll. The sublime embellishment consists of flush gold inlay of acanthus scroll on rear portions of top bbl. Action is engraved w/ near full coverage of exceptionally well cut shaded & detailed flowing acanthus scroll w/ floral accents in well shaded background.

Sides of action, sideplates, trigger plate & top lever pivot are beautifully engraved w/ superbly detailed bulino scenes of peregrine falcons & their prey. This composition is entitled “Lightning Strike” and is so engraved on left side of trigger plate. The title is appropriate, as falcons & partridge on sides are outlined by brilliant flashes of inlaid gold “light” in the background as one would expect them to appear at the moment of a lightning bolt. Left side of action depicts a pair of flying Hungarian partridge. Sideplate shows face on falcon about to attack one of three other partridge. Background detail is exceptionally fine. The sky is filled w/ cumulus clouds & mountainous terrain can be seen in far distance. Other details include a bull elk at right of scene & gold inlaid flowers in foreground. Right side of action depicts this scene a split second later w/ targeted partridge dropping from sky & losing feathers as falcon passes. Bottom of action depicts peregrine falcon perched on mountain top rock w/ gold sky in background as storm abates. Top lever pivot has portrait of peregrine. Trigger guard is pierced in scrolled motif matching thumb piece and is flanked by more flush gold inlaid scroll matching bbl. This engraving & inlay is by Brian Hochstrat of Midvale, ID; bronc buster, saddle maker & engraver, whose signature is on right trigger plate. This superb composition won the 2020 FEGA convention award for best engraved shotgun. Buttstock & forend of attractive classically veined & flame figured European walnut is by the renowned Jerry Fisher (1930-) of Big Fork Montana.

Stocks feature drop points behind lock plates, brown leather covered pad & vacant gold oval on toe line. Meticulously executed borderless checkering is in fancy pattern w/ “fleur de lis” behind drop points & trigger guard tang as well as front portion of forend. There are ribbons through pattern at center of grip & forend. DAC: 1 1/2″. DAH: 2 1/2″. LOP: 14 3/8″. 0 Cast. Weight: 6 lbs 13 oz.

STATUS: Modern