Gary Cooper's Original German Swivel Breech Jaeger Used in "Unconquered".

[chrisdefrance]

Here is an auction for the Jaeger that Gary Cooper used in the movie "Unconquered". The movie as always a favorite. I find myself placing the TV on Pause and change the picture by frame. Now there are 22 excellent picture to review.



https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/documented-gary-cooper-s-original-german-swivel-b-3F043A1AE0

Lot 96: Documented Gary Cooper's Original German Swivel Breech Jaeger Used in "Unconquered".
Look at the website for the Auction for all 22 pictures.
Morphy Auctions
September 26, 2018, 10:00 AM EST
Denver, PA, US
 Live Auction






poems by William Ernest Henley



Item Overview

Description: This swivel-barreled flintlock rifle was carried by actor Gary Cooper (1901-1961) as Christopher Holden in Cecil B. DeMille's productions of "Unconquered", a 1947 Paramount Pictures release. This piece, circa 1760, was made by John George Flittner of Carlsruhe in Saxony. He is recorded as a gunsmith in period documents from Carlsruhe. The rifle was once in the famous Stembridge Gun Room on Paramount's lot, a privately owned arms rental agency accessible only to the theatrical world. It was also carried by actor Dewey Martin as Boone Cordell in the Howard Hawks directed production "The Big Sky", (RKO 1952). The 28 1/8" barrels are iron, one full octagon of approximately .52 calibre rifled, engraved "1" at breech. The other part octagon to round, smooth bore of about 20 gauge, engraved "2" at breech. Both are struck with six fleur-de-lis at breech, the octagon barrel with indistinct, sunken maker's cartouche and the Stembridge inventory number "S501" beneath the lock. Both barrels are sighted at muzzle. The rifled barrel with decoratively fashioned rear sight (one small piece missing at rear). The stock is of walnut, both relief and incised carved, generous amounts in each butt area, less so on each of the two 25-5/8" panels which support the barrels. The original, relief-carved sliding wooden cover for the butt trap (the patch box) remarkably remains intact. The mountings are brass, triggerguard bow with iron, "squeeze" release which when compressed enables the barrels to be rotated; set trigger assemble; the finial of the rear trigger guard extension is missing. There are three "S" shaped escutcheons along one panel, a screw passes through each of these and secures the three ramrod pipes on the opposite side. There is a decoratively-fashioned forend cap. The present iron ramrod is an incorrect replacement; the original was of wood. The mechanisms which comprise the three units of the lock are in their original state with all components original. Inscribed in two lines on the main plate is "Flittner/Carlsruhe". The main plate is 3-1/16" in length, and each of the forward plates are 2-3/8" in length. Also included is a pair of wooden bullet blocks carried with the swivel barrel gun by Flittner as received by Christopher Holden (G.C.) from John Fraser (W.B.) during their search for Abigail Hale (P.G.) at Garth's Gilded Beaver Tavern. Each block is made of softwood and measurs 6" long by 1-7/16" wide, three cavities each, one vacant. The lot includes a copy of the magazine "Western Pennsylvania History" from winter of 2014, featuring an article about the movie "Unconquered". The article shows this rifle as well as stills of Gary Cooper with the rifle. There are also several copies of stills and one cutout mounted on cardboard showing Gary Cooper with the rifle, as well as Walter O'Connor's hand written description of the rifle and its history, most of which is in this description. The rifle and bullet blocks were also on display between August 2013 and October 2014 as part of the "Unconquered" Exhibit at the Fort Pitt Museum.Condition:Dimensions:
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[conquerordie]

That's a great rifle and movie. Does anyone actually make a swivel breech that is appropriate for a wender? All the ones I've seen are for later American rifles. Something like this rifle with a rounded lock?
Greg

[Bigmon]

I remember seeing this at Fort Pitt Museum.  It was a really interesting display.  I recallthat several of the guns used belonged to, I believe, DeMill himself.  But I do not know if this was one of them.  Something is telling me a pistol, or two pistols?
Anyway, that's a fine gun , as was the movie and the display at the fort.
Thank you for posting

[Steve-In]

That looks like it would be a handy big bore gun.
I wonder if the brass has been buffed.  It seems like it would be engraved to me.

[Bob Roller]

Non gun related but about 4 days ago his car,a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ sold for over 20 million dollars.
Buyer not yet named.

Bob Roller

[JTR]

I wonder if this gun was included when Little John's Auction sold off the Stembridge movie gun collection back several years ago?
Anyone know?
John

[Telgan]

Yes it was