Master of the Animal-Head Scroll

Wheellock Rifle, one of the finest examples produced by the anonymous gunstocker called the Master of the Animal-Head Scroll, after the eponymous design motif that appears throughout his work and one of the recent acquisitions to celebrate notable additions to the collection, is featured. Characteristic of this master's work is the carving of the stock, with leafy tendrils ending in animal or bird heads, and the recessed background, which is either stippled or matted for contrast and, often, engraved with foliage.