2258 JAMES PURDEY LONG GUARD LEVER HAMMER DOUBLE RIFLE

CURRENT BID
0.00USD
ENTER YOUR MAXIMUM ABSENTEE BID[?]
You must bid at least
3,000.00USD
USD
3,000.00 x 1 unit = 3,000.00USDApplicable fees & taxes are added at checkout.
[?]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 - 9,000.00 USD
WITH CASE. Cal. .450 3-1/4" bpe. S# 7236 (1866). The 30" two stripe broadly patterned damascus barrels are fitted with full length flat rib. Rib is fitted with three nested folding leaf express rear sight with standing leaf and small silver bead front sights. Rib is engraved "J. Purdey 314 1/2 Oxford Street. London." Barrel flats are stamped with London black powder proofs. Round bodied Jones type "long guard lever" action is fitted with back spring locks with non-rebounding serpentine hammers having stylized dolphin heads. Locks are fitted with front sliding stalking safetys. The long guard lever action is an adaptation of the Jones patent however a long and fairly heavy trigger guard with ring at grip extension snaps into long trigger plate. Entire guard rotates unlocking action. A safety is built into trigger plate so that when guard is not in fully closed position, triggers are blocked and locks cannot be tripped. Straight grip buttstock made of dense fiddle figured European walnut measures 14-1/2" over checkered steel buttplate engraved "CHARGE" "3 1/4 drs No 6 Powder". Stock features long shadow line right hand cheekpiece and well cut grip checkering. Matching splinter forend with steel tip is fully checkered and attaches to barrels with captive sidebolt through shaped and engraved steel escutcheons. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: rifle comes with its original (S# on paper dot under label), quartered oak case with circular "D" ring handle in top. Interior is lined in scarlet cloth and Purdey label in lid is inscribed with charge and loading information. Case contains a hollow pointing pin marked with this guns S#, a tin of grease, Hawksley marked pewter top oil bottle and an ebony cleaning plug marked "450". An old hang tag from W. Keith Neal is addressed to a Mr. A. G. Crowley. CONDITION: fine with some alterations. Barrels retaining about 80% original damascus pattern with some thinning at wear points and some scratches. Action retains about 20% original case hardening color. Lockplates retain about 80% of their color. Stocks retain most of their rubbed oil finish, are quite dry and have a good number of marks. Enfield rifled bores are very fine; bright, sharp and shiny throughout. Action is tight; barrels somewhat off face. It appears rifle has been recently tightened with evidence of filing and polishing on barrel lumps and heat discoloration of metal on breech face. Locks are crisp. Safety is operable. Lock tail retaining screws in buttstock are missing, so lock tails protrude from inletting. (Should be corrected before firing.) Case shows considerable wear to old re-varnish with 14" crack on left side of top. Interior cloth is fair, considerably soiled. Label is poor, dark, badly foxed with holes and chips. Partitions are weak with some repairs, need more. Accessories are good. (01-26557/MGM). ANTIQUE. $6,000-9,000.