A beautiful pair of small wheel-lock rifles from the Imperial Austrian Family dating: second quarter of the 17th Century provenance: Austria Octagonal, rifled, 10 mm cal. barrels with adjustable rear-sight (one has been restored), foresight, engraved band at the breech and monogram "AM", slightly bell-mouthed nozzle; smooth tangs, framed with bone; wheel-locks with flat plates, brass wheel-covers engraved and pierced with two lions; mobile pan cover; wooden full stocks sculpted with the fine, typical motifs of the "Meister der Tierkopfranke" depicting hares, fantastic animals and curls, on granulated background. Butts with patchbox on the right side, on the left one tarsia depicting Austrian Imperial eagle with laurel crown; more bone and mother-of-pearl tarsia, partially engraved with hunting and floral motifs. Anatomic, iron triggers, set trigger. Bone-tipped wooden ramrods engraved en suite. Exceptional pair of wheel-lock rifles, sculpted by the famous Austrian artist known as the "Meister der Tierkopfranke" or "master of the animal-head scroll". The small size of the weapons suggests that the beautiful pair could be a gift to one of the princes of the House of Habsburg. dimensions : 72.5 cm.