April 24-25, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2019
(1997) This wonderful, specially ordered and engraved quail or woodcock gun, has 27" chopper lump barrels fitted with narrow, slightly raised, matted game rib. Front bead is a small diamond set into a tube held by a gold base. Makers name does not appear on barrels. There are thin gold bands around breech ends. Barrel flats are stamped with 1997 Italian nitro proofs for 2-3/4" chambers, along with engraved serial number and stamped Piotti logo. Importers name and address (BSA Millbrook, NY) is also engraved. Small sized coin finished sidelock action features non-automatic safety ("S" inlaid in gold), arrowhead tumbler end cocking indicators, and double triggers. Action is engraved with full coverage exceptionally well executed and cleanly cut swags and swirls of floral accented acanthus in a background of minuscule shaded scroll. Edges of lockplates are geometrically engraved. This very attractive treatment surrounds minutely detailed Bulino game scenes; walking grouse on left lockplate, standing woodcock in marshland on right, and calling red grouse on bottom of action. "FLLI PIOTI" is in swag on each lockplate. Fences are deeply relief carved with roses and other blooms with some foliage. Scroll and rose treatment continues onto top lever and single beaded trigger guard bow, as well as tang, which is also engraved with serial number. This truly excellent work is by the very highly regarded Mario Terzi whose signature is on trigger plate. Profusely dark marbled European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14-5/8" over skip line checkered wood butt. Very well cut, closely spaced point pattern checkering is on diamond hand. The individual gold letters "R C L" are inlet on toe line. Matching small beavertail ejector forend has Anson release. Gun is housed in tan leather case with stitched leather corners by Nizzoli, and has leather trimmed green canvas outer cover. Case is lined in burgundy cloth, and has gold embossed black leather Piotti label in lid. Bottom compartment is semi French fitted for action and barrels as well as a pair of gold plated snap caps and round nickel plated oil bottle. CONDITION: Excellent, close to new, with evidence of only extremely light field use and minimal shooting, with only a very few light handling and assembly marks in all wood and metal surfaces and slight chatter on bottoms of barrels from contact with forend. There is a tiny bit of oxidation on right side of rib about 9" from breech end, and a rub in rib matting about 6" back from muzzles. Bores are excellent. Mechanically excellent. Case leather is excellent, as protected by its outer cover, which shows light wear. Interior is also excellent. Current retail of a Piotti Monaco No. 3 which should correspond to this particular gun, is over $60,000.00 without accounting for this superb masterpiece engraving. Plain and simple, this is a great little gun. MGM 19.
Choke
(L) .015 - Mod (R) .007 - IC
Internal Bore Diameter
(L) .553 (R) .552
Length of Pull
14 - 5/8" Cast slightly on