GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
EARLY BROWNING MIDAS HEAVY GAME GUN ENGRAVED AND GOLD INLAID BY L. VRANCKEN. BROWNING OU MIDAS 82372 12 GA MODERN; IVORY Cal. 12 Ga. 2-3/4” Chambers. 30” Bbls are marked for Imod and full. Bbls have raised, matted, ventilated rib fitted with Bradley composition front bead and "certifiable pre-ban ivory" mid-bead and are marked with "BROWNING ARMS COMPANY" with St. Louis and Montreal addresses, and steel and chamber info on left. Patent info and “MADE IN BELGIUM” are on right. There are 2” triangles of well-cut relief open shaded scroll at breech ends. Blued standard Browning OU action with gold-plated sgl selective trigger, is engraved in typical Midas style, as designed by Louis Vrancken, and in this case game scenes and engraving are by Vrancken. This design consists of near full coverage of large open shaded scroll with acanthus highlights surrounding game scenes with semi-relief gold inlaid subjects. These scenes are inside gold inlaid ovoid borders with flourishes at bottom. Three pheasant fly into open meadow on left side of action, and a trio of ducks take wing from marsh on right. A quail flies across bottom of action. Trigger guard, with matching scroll, has vacant shield on bow. This fine engraving is signed by L. Vrancken, at bottom rear of both sides of action and at bottom rear of both game scenes. Nicely crotch figured American walnut long tang flat knob buttstock measures 14-3/8” over leather faced open sided Browning white line pad. Modified point pattern checkering wraps over top of grip. A deeply embossed silver grip cap with initial "G" has been fitted. A gold oval on toe line has had engraving erased. Matching forend is of beavertail type. Bore diameter: top -.723, bottom -.723. Bore restrictions: top -.036 (full), bottom -.025 (mod). Drop at heel: 1-7/8", drop at comb: 1-7/16". Weight: 7 lbs 13 oz. LOP: 14-3/8". CONDITION: Excellent, showing limited field use, with high edge wear on all blued parts, slight silvering on trigger guard and thumbpiece. Stocks retain over 90% orig finish with some areas worn through and oil darkened. Gold of trigger has considerably silvered on finger blade. Bores are excellent. Mechanically crisp. One of the first Vrancken designed Midas grade Brownings, this gun was made in 1960. 49432-9 MGM360 (6,500-10,000)