2108 FINE AS FOUND JAMES PURDEY TOP LEVER HAMMER DOUBLE

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[?]Live Online Auction Starts In 2025 May 09 @ 10:00 (UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT)
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 3,000.00 USD
Estimated at 6,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
SHOTGUN. Cal. 10 Bore 2-7/8". S# 9233 (1874). This lovely big bore has 31" three stripe fine damascus barrels. Narrow top rib is engraved "J. Purdey. 314 1/2 Oxford Street, London". This gun was made three years before the name change to James Purdey & Sons and nine years before the move to Audley St. Barrel flats are stamped with London black powder proofs and S#'s are on bottoms of barrels. Case hardened iron bar top lever action is fitted with front spring locks having tall serpentine rebounding hammers. Action features very early use of side clips to stabilize lateral movement of barrels (A Purdey Innovation) and double triggers. Gun appears to be #2 of a pair with the # "2" stamped on bottom of rear barrel lump, watertable and inside of forend iron. Action is engraved with 80% coverage meticulously executed small scroll most likely the work of James Lucas; head Purdey engraver at the time. Each lockplate is engraved "Purdey". Bottom of action is engraved "Purdey's Patent" and "Patent" is on top lever. Trigger guard is engraved with typical medium scroll and S# is on tang. Straight grip buttstock of very finely marbled and lightly stump figured European walnut measures 14-1/4" over checkered wood butt. Stock features usual point pattern checkering and vacant silver oval on toeline. Matching splinter forend with fancy steel tip attaches to barrels with captive side bolt through shaped steel escutcheons. MEASUREMENTS: BBLS: Bore Diameter: L .787. R .791. Restriction: L .000 (Cyl). R .000 (Cyl). (Gun made before choke boring came into general use.) Wall thickness: L .035. R .031. STOCK: DAH: 2-11/16". DAC: 1-9/16". CAST: very slightly off. LOP: 14-1/4". WEIGHT: 8 lb. 4 oz. Factory records indicate that the gun was completed in 1874 for J.C. Grubb & Co. Philadelphia. CONDITION: exceptionally fine "as found". Barrels retaining approximately 90% original brown with fine definition to pattern. Action retains 70-80% original case hardening color, silvered on fences. Locks and hammers retain about 90% original color with some light flecking. Top lever has about 80% original blue. Trigger guard retains most of its original blue. Stocks retain most of their original oil finish, are quiet dry and show water spotting on left side of butt and a fair number of scratches and rubs on right; some fairly deep. Checkering shows very light wear. No structural problems are noted, except for a very small chip missing from left rear of forend. Bores are bright and shiny with no observed problems. Action is tight. Locks are crisp. Gun is quite dirty and could profit from a judicious cleaning and oiling. PROVENANCE: from the renowned collection of quality sporting arms from Lewis Drake together with inventory of Lewis Drake Associates. (01-26115/MGM). ANTIQUE. $6,000-12,000.