(C) SPECTACULAR, EARLY AND ORIGINAL, BOSS & CO 12 BORE SLE OVER/UNDER SHOTGUN WITH CASE.

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/16/2025

Cased Boss & Co 12 bore over and under sidelock ejector game gun with 26” barrels. The gun is choked Skeet and Light Modified. Length of pull of 14 - 3/8” over a checkered butt with heel and toe clips and ¼” cast off. Prince of Wales grip, double triggers on a square bar action, auto-safety, hold open top lever, passive rib extension, low profile file cut solid rib with a small front bead, gold inlaid “SAFE” ahead of the small button style safety catch, gold lined cocking indicators, rolled edge trigger guard, drop points, initialed gold oval on the toe line, checkered wrist and forend with mullered borders, and an Anson push button forend release. The gun is housed in a brown leather case with burgundy baize, maker’s label, snap caps, oil pot, two-piece cleaning rod, and a jag. This circa 1921 gun was proofed in London for 1 1/8 oz loads. The chambers measure 2 ¾” with no indication that they have been lengthened. Both lock plates read “BOSS & Co” in banners in addition to “PATENT No 3307, 1919” on both sides of the action frame. The bottom of the forend iron reads “BOSS’S PATENT No 3308, 1919” while the barrels bear the “13 DOVER STREET” address for Boss & Co and also read “SIR JOSEPH WHITWORTH’S PRESSED FLUID STEEL”. The serial number is engraved in block form on the bottom strap. Engraved with Boss’s iconic small rose and scroll developed by John Sumner when John Robertson was at the helm at Boss. The engraving would very likely have been executed by John’s son, Jack Sumner, who joined Boss full time in 1920 following his service in the Great War, having previously engraved for both Boss and other makers. Case color hardened action and blued furniture. Highly figured exhibition grade walnut stock. CONDITION: The gun remains in excellent and original condition. About 80% of case colors remain. Excellent bores and bluing on barrels. No evidence that the barrels have been reblacked or the bores honed. Both bores show minor frosting and measure at .729”. The checkering is crisp and clean and does not show evidence of having been recut. Stock and forend appear to be original and in excellent condition with evidence of minor use in the form of some scratches and compression marks. Both the stock and the forend wood is still proud of the metal surfaces. The amount of remaining case colors, standing face condition, and the overall high and original condition points to very little actual use seen by the gun. The top lever is slightly right of center, the gun is on face, and the ejectors are slightly out of time. Included are two copies of the order for the gun through Von Lengerke & Detmold (VLD) dated December 1st, 1920. The order confirms that this gun was the second gun of a pair and that the gun remains as ordered other than choke in the top barrel has been opened up to light modified from full. An early Boss gun like this one seldom comes to market. Your chance to own a high and original condition Boss over and under from between the wars.

CORRECTION: This gun is documented to have been previously restored, likely in the English trade.

Name

Value

Accessories

Case

Barrel Length

26"

Barrel Wall Thickness

(O) .026 (U) .025

Chamber

2 - 3/4"

Choke

(O) .006 (Skeet) (U) .016 (Light Modified)