November 5th & 6th 2016 Premier Firearms Sale
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/5/2016
Round blued steel barrels with solid matte rim and single brass bead, marked on rib "THE KNOCKABOUT GUN". Right barrel marked "A. FRANCOTTE MAKER ET PATENTEE-LIEGE" and left barrel marked "ABERCROMBIE ET FITCH CO./MADE IN BELIUM". Casehardened boxlock action with engraved screw heads, Greener crossbolt amd blued lever and safety. Ejectors single trigger and automatic safeties. Blued triggerguard, varnished walnut pistol grip buttstock with raised panels on each side behind action and checkered panels on each side behind grip, silver oval escutcheon on bottom inscribed "J.F.B. JR" Black makers buttplate, walnut splinter fore end with diamond section checkering and Anson release. Excellent condition, barrels retain 80-90% original blue finish, thinning in some areas with some wear on sides near breeches and muzzles. Excellent shiny bores, actions retain 50-60% case colors, otherwise turns silver, triggerguard retains about 80& blue finish with some edge wear and some losses on tang, stalks very good with some losses to finish and some scatter marks from use. This gun is accompanied by a Griffin & Howe factory letter and certificate of inventory and disposition/Abercrombie & Fitch records. It states that Francotte shotgun, Knockabout model serial number 628 was ordered for J. Ford Belle, Jr. in the New York store at a retail price of $585.00. It confirms the gauge, barrels, chokes, weight dimensions, stock and trigger which all match the guns current configuration. The buyer of this shotgun James Ford Belle Jr. was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 27th, 1923. His father founded General Mills in 1928 and served as president from 1928 until 1934. Mr. Belle maintained a 7500 acre bird-hunting plantation in Georgia where this gun was probably used. James Ford Belle Jr. passed away in Hennepin, Minnesota on September 20th 1981. This information is contained in an archive research letter by Robert C. Beach of Griffin & Howe Inc. Also contains records of James Ford Belle Jr., his passport application from 1924, information from Ancestry.com including photographs from his site and US census records. Also includes advertisements and information from Abercrombie & Fitch and Griffin & Howe.
Barrel Wall Thickness
Both Barrels - .0365"
Choke
Left - I.M., Right Modified
Internal Bore Diameter
Both Barrels - .544"