GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
JOHN RIGBY .470 BOXLOCK EJECTOR DOUBLE RIFLE OWNED BY PHILIP H. PERCIVAL, NOTED AS "THE DEAN OF AFRICAN PROFESSIONAL HUNTERS" WHO INSPIRED HEMINGWAY''S CHARACTER "POP" IN "GREEN HILLS OF AFRICA".RIGBYGRADE C BOXLOCK17662.470 Nitro ExpressMODERN; C&R(1912) Cal. .470 Nitro Express. This fine dangerous game rifle, completed Oct. 30, 1912 for P. H. Percival, has 26" chopper lump bbls with full length matted rib engraved "John Rigby & Co (Gunmakers) Ltd 72 St James''s Street. London." in Gothic script. Rib is fitted with one standing, two folding leaf express rear sight with platinum lines, and marked for 100, 200, and 300 yards. Portion of rib in front of sight is file cut. Front portion is raised forming a stippled front ramp holding white porcelain bead. Tops of bbls are engraved "Special 470 Bore Big Game Rifle" and "For Special Cordite Cartridge & Bullet 500 Grains". Bbl flats are stamped with London nitro proofs for .470 express, 75 grains cordite, and 500 grain bullet, along with importers name and address (G & H). SN is stamped on heavy splinter. Case hardened PHV-1 boxlock action features cloverleaf shaped dolls head with pivoting third fastener, non-automatic safety (SAFE engraved on gold rectangle), bushed strikers, and double triggers. Action is engraved with 40 - 50% coverage well cut large shaded scroll. "J. Rigby & Co" is on each side. Blued top lever, floorplate, and trigger guard are also scroll engraved. SN is on tang which extends to case hardened, engraved steel trap grip cap. Nicely marbled and stump figured European walnut capped pistol grip buttstock measures 14-5/8" over Silver type pad, and features large shadow line right hand cheekpiece, drop points, point pattern checkering with mullered borders at grip, and a sling eye matching that soldered to bbl, on toe line. Matching splinter ejector forend has forward pivoting release. Drop at heel: approx 2-5/16", drop at comb: approx 1-11/16". Weight: 11 lbs 3 oz. LOP: 14-5/8". PROVENANCE: Factory records including invoice listing originally supplied cleaning equipment, spare strikers, tin lined box, and 200 cartridges sold to P.H. Percival of Bovia Trading Company, with 15% discount; ledger page with dimensions and weight. Ledger page by SN giving date of sale. Wikipedia info on Philip Percival outlining his hunting career including that he guided Teddy Roosevelt, Baron Rothschild, and Ernest Hemingway, among many other celebrities. Hemingway modeled the fictional hunter, Robert Wilson, in "The Short Happy Life With Francis Macomber" after Percival. Percival also worked with Bror Blixen - Finecke, and was the mentor of Harry Selby. He was known in African hunting circles as "The Dean of Hunters". Info page from AfricanHunting.com outlining his career. Another page with info regarding recent history of the rifle. Info on Percival from Bonhams auction house where a pair of his rifles were sold. Targets shot by Ken Owen with this rifle. CONDITION: Excellent, as refurbished in England, possibly by factory, metal retaining essentially all best black, and St. Leger type colors. Engraving picked up on trigger guard. Best quality new made stocks retain nearly all of their hand rubbed oil finish with a few light handling marks. Bores are fine, with strong rifling throughout, with lightly frosted left bore somewhat more heavily frosted than right. Target supplied by consignor shows that this rifle still shoots quite well with groups under 2" at 50 yards with Federal factory ammo and reloads by Ken Owen. Action is tight. Right bbl slightly off face. Ejectors are strong and in time. A unique chance to own a very fine rifle, owned and used by one of the acknowledged greats of African hunting. 49273-1 MGM130 (75,000-150,000)