GUN FALL 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/4/2016
TRULY EXCEPTIONAL DOCUMENTED BARBER & LEFEVER HIGH GRADE HAMMER GUN.D.M. LEFEVERA GRADE16410 GACal. 10 ga. 3" Chambers. 31" High grade 7-blade Damascus bbls. Full length Damascus top rib with brass front bead marked "D.M. Lefever, Successor to Barber & Lefever, Syracuse N.Y." Water table marked with SN and "Lefever PAT'D Sept. 3, 1872". Dbl triggers, extractor, no safety. Thumb push opener. Buttstock is highly figured with fiddle back and checkered in fine 3-point pattern and fully checkered around ball grip with approximately dime sized gold inlaid game scene engraved grip cap. Fine arrow point sculptured in stock behind lockplates. Near fully checkered splinter forearm with Deeley latch and internal plunger release is finely engraved in shell pattern towards breech and floral pattern and knurled towards muzzle. Receiver is finely scroll engraved with flowing scroll and chain link border pattern and marked "Barber & Lefever" at front of lockplates. Hammers are extremely fine and sculptured with scroll engraving and serpent engraved on tops near firing pins. Top strap is finely scroll engraved with chain link border pattern and floral screw heads. Bottom of receiver is tastefully scroll engraved with approximately 50% coverage and is finely filed and wave sculptured. Trigger guard bow with bust of dog soft mouthing a woodcock to return to its owner surrounded by tastefully executed scroll and chain link border pattern. This exact gun is pictured on pgs 24-27, of Lefever: Guns of Lasting Fame, by Elliott and Cobb. Bore diameter: left - .787, right - .780. Bore restrictions: left - .024 (mod), right - .016 (light mod). Minimum wall thickness: left - .040, right - .044 . Weight: 8 lbs. 15 oz. Drop at comb: 2-1-16", drop at heel: 2-7/8". LOP: 13-7/8". PROVENANCE: Lifetime Lefever Arms Collection of Scott Lefever. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbls retain 70-80% vivid bold contrast Damascus pattern, toned in grip area towards breech. Receiver retains 40-50% nice orig case hardening with dark flashes of color visible on both lockplates and at top of frame, toned towards bottom and front of frame, though trigger plate retains most of its orig case color. Trigger guard, bow and tang have toned to a pleasing gray/silver. Buttstock and forearm are exceptional as restored, checkering re-cut many years ago and excellent overall. Bores are excellent with scattered light pitting. Action is tight. Hammers are crisp. Screw heads are all excellent and unmarred. In nearly 30 years of studying Lefever's this is the finest example of a Barber & Lefever this cataloger has examined. This extremely rare high grade gun has not been offered publicly in more than 25 years. 50254-4 JSL (8,000-12,000)