October 22-23, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/22/2019
A beautiful circa 1939 20 bore with 28" chopper lump barrels and smooth, narrow, concave game rib with small steel front bead is engraved “J. Purdey & Sons. Audley House. South Audley Street. London. England.” Barrel flats have London nitro proofs for 2 - 1/2" chambers. Bottoms of barrels are stamped “Choke” and have the barrel makers initials “GW” (presumably George Wood). Chokes are Improved Modified and Improved Cylinder. The tube numbers are “63829” and “63830” which are stamped on the barrel loop. A Beesley patent self-opening sidelock action features an automatic safety with “Safe” in gold, double triggers, disc set strikers, and cocking indicator. Action and lockplates are engraved with Purdey style rose and scroll. The engraving is fine as expected for guns of this era. The bottom action is engraved “J. Purdey & Sons, London, England”. “J. Purdey & Sons” is on lockplates. The tiger stripe or fiddleback figured European walnut cast off straight hand grip features tear drop points and the stock is finished to a checkered butt. There is a small round gold plate bearing the initials “E.M.V.” which, from our research, leads us to believe the gun was built for Mr. Enders M. Voorhees, the chairman of finance for U.S. Steel. The matching splinter forend has an Anson release. The actioner's initials “SW” are stamped on forend iron. This lovely and lively gun handsomely benefits from a British tan makers oak and leather case with brass corners, its cleaning tools, equipment, black leather Purdey case label and charge card. “E.M.V” on the outer case brass disc. Accessories in the case include a two piece ebony rod, two ebony handled turn screws, ebony handled striker key, leather wallet containing a pull-through, bone striker pot with strikers, pair of Purdey 20b snap caps, oil bottle, as well as cleaning brushes and the case key. CONDITION: Very good. Barrels retain 90% plus blue. Action retains approximately 80% original case colors with some slight fading on fences, beads, and on bottom of action. Lockplates retain 90% of their case color. Top lever and trigger guard retain nearly all of their blue. Stock retains most all of a traditional oil finish, with a few handling marks. Forend has a darkened original oil finish. Barrels are on face and ejectors are timed. Bores are wonderful. The leather on the case has some handling marks, but mainly around the edges. Straps are good, and handle has broken off on one side. Oxblood colored lined case interior is very good with partitions intact. Leather case label is excellent. Paper label is getting dark from age. A very nice, well balanced and smooth handling gun, made during the years when the London gun trade was at its peak. CP
Accessories
Case with tools and snap caps
Barrel Wall Thickness
(L) .030 (R) .031
Internal Bore Diameter
(BOTH) .616
Manufacturer
James Purdey & Sons
Model
Best Side Lock Ejector