An original Italian “Wolf Killer” Blunderbuss with a Folding Stock

I’ve not seen many like this one before, this original flintlock blunderbuss is the great grandfather of the modern folding stocked shotgun, but with more style. Much like in the Western US in the early 20th century, Wolves were hunted to near extinction in Italy by the mid 1800s. Muzzleloaders like this one may have been one of the choice tools from hunting the Italian Wolf in the 18th and 19th centuries.

This particular style is often called an "Assassino di lupe", which translates to “Killer of Wolves”

My personal research on this piece and the history behind it is limited by a few things. The first being a limited understanding of the Italian language and with it, a lack of records for Italian gunsmiths of the 18th century. What I can say is that both Lazaro and Lazarino come up on several original Italian flintlocks but not always together. The William Randolph Hearst Archive has two pieces crafted by Lazarino, one a pair of flintlock pistols described as follows;

"Of the most exquisite craftsmanship. These great objects of art may be favorably compared with any pieces of their type known to exist. The locks and all-steel mountings are chiselled with the greatest possible freedom and depict human figures, masks, birds, monsters and foliage in great profusion, the hammers and triggers being especially worthy of notice. The mounts are set in walnut stocks which are slightly carved; the barrels are fluted at the breech and of circular section beyond. Both are signed Lazarino Cominazo. From the Sigmaringen Museum. Provenance: Purchased by William Randolph Hearst from Mr. R. Bartel Sale through Sotheby, & Co., London, July 29, 1930 for $4720.26; sold to City Museum of St. Louis, June 15, 1939 (https://digitalcommons.liu.edu/post_hearst/251/)

The second being another pair of allegedly early 17th century pistols - "The locks and furnishings of steel are boldly and beautifully chiselled in the finest Brescian style with Renaissance designs introducing foliage and figures and cherubs; the barrels are grooved and chevroned. The locks are marked ""Pictro, Florentino,"" and barrels ""Lazarino Cominazzo."" From the Collection of T.E. Kennedy. Believed to have been originally in the Bernal Collection. Provenance: Purchased by William Randolph Hearst from the Herbert Jackson Sale through Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, London, March 1. (https://digitalcommons.liu.edu/post_hearst/256/)

It’s important to note that both of these pistols, as well as other pieces by Lazarino viewable online all have his name on the barrel, not the lock or the stock. This could mean that Lazarino was the gunsmith and utilized parts made by other craftsmen at the time, a practice we see in Northern European and later American Gunsmithing.

This digital magazine (https://issuu.com/sangiorgioaste/docs/catalogo49bassap) features more of Lazarino’s more ornate work alongside his contemporaries and other smiths of the same period in Italy. Note, the magazine is in Italian but there are English translations. Lazarino’s work is featured on page 266-267. The pistols on this page are also signed by gunsmith “Gio Betta Buccelleni” furthering the narrative that Lazarino worked with other smiths or craftspeople of the time.

Compared to some of the other ornate worked signed “Lazarino”, this blunderbuss is rather plain. The hinge itself is attached to the front of the butt stock and the rear of the main stock with an iron plate and a large screw. The hinge is a simple 3 knuckle assembly that is closed with a spring and catch similar to what we see in traditional patchboxes.

Apart from the hinge, this is a typical hunting piece. There is some light carving on the stock and engraving on the lock assembly. The breech section of the barrel is engraved with scrollwork and wavy line patterns and marked "LAZARO * LAZARINO" on top and "LB" on the left. The barrel has an elliptical muzzle which measures 2 inches wide and 1 1/4 inches tall.. The iron furniture is also decorated with scroll patterns along with repeating eagle motifs. The sideplate has two holes for mounting a now absent saddle ring or hook. I’ve since seen one other example of a folding blunderbuss like this that featured a long hook attached to the side plate, much like a pistol would have a belt hook