December 6-8, 2023 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/6/2023
Chopper lump barrels equpped with a tapered, solid, concave game rib with cross hatch matting and a single steel bead at muzzle. Breeches are dressed with wriggle work and relieved for sideclips. Left barrel engraved "ARMI Flli BERTUZZI GARDONE V.T. ITALY" with Flli Bertuzzi inlaid with gold. Underside of barrels with Italian proofs and date codes for 1988, 2 - 3/4" chambers, a nominal 16.0 and 16.1 IBD, nitro proofing, and Armi Bertuzzi stamp. Splinter forearm with Anson style plunger release, inlaid Bertuzzi device enclosed in the point pattern checkering, and scroll engraving on exterior iron and plunger. Interior iron with last 2 digits of serial number. Sidelock action is gorgeously engraved Zanelli with gold inlaid game scenes: left plate depicts a shorthair pointer alerting on a pair of airborne grouse in a meadow scene through a broken barbed wire fence, while right depicts a brace of 3 airborne grouse in a similar meadow scene with masterfully detailed trees; bottom depicts a single grouse airborne through a pair of trees in a meadow. Borders, negative space, and recoil shields are accented with scroll; signed "ARMI / FLLI BERTUZZI" on left side above and below the lockplate, "ITALY / GARDONE V.T." mirrored on right. Water tables with serial number, nitro proof, Bertuzzi stamp, and Italian proof. Disc set strikers, sideclips, and concealed third fastener. Non-automatic safety, tang engraved with scroll en suite. Trigger guard with a rolled right edge and long tang engraved with scroll protects a single mechanical trigger. Straight gripped, nicely figured, feather crotch walnut stock with drop points behind action, point pattern checkering about the wrist, and a checkered butt with 2-piece skeleton plate. CONDITION: Barrels retaining virtually all of their black with some superficial handling marks and associated marks from the field, with some silvering noted where forearm makes contact. Forearm is excellent with a few minor marks and some oil staining, free of cracks or chips. Engraving is crisp and well cut, with very attractive goldwork. Some screws and fitting are ever so slightly off. Stock is excellent with attractive figure and some minor marks from the field; neutral cast. Mechanically fine, ejectors are strong and in time, bores are very good with some very minor residue from use. An extremely attractive example of Italian craftsmanship.