GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
WESTLEY RICHARDS "BEST" PERCUSSION DOUBLE SHOTGUN WITH ORIGINAL CASE AND SOME ACCESSORIES.WESTLEY RICHARDSSXS DBL SHOTGUN844814CASED W/ACCESS(ca 1855) Cal. 14 bore (.705 bore diameter). 30" Stub Damascus bbls are engraved "WESTLEY RICHARDS 170 NEW BOND ST LONDON" on broad game rib. Bottoms of bbls are stamped with Birmingham proofs and SNs. Ebony ramrod with brass tip and steel worm under brass cap at tail, is held by two plain pipes. Patent breeches have vented platinum blow-outs, and some scroll engraving on rib extension. Breech iron is nicely scroll engraved and there are silver flash guards at break off. Front action island locks have about 50% coverage of very well cut open scroll with "Westley Richards" on each plate. Locks are fitted with slightly chamfered flat faced serpentine hammers with stylized dolphins heads. Faces of hammers are scroll engraved. Nicely streaked and lightly fiddle figured European walnut straight grip stock is iron mounted with nicely scroll engraved trigger guard, trigger plate with stylized pineapple finial, thimble with matching finial, and steel buttplate with long top tang. There is flat top coarse checkering with mullered borders at grip and forend, and a vacant silver oval on toe line. Stock mounts to bbls with captive sliding bolt through oval silver escutcheons. Bore diameter: left -.703, right - .704. Wall thickness: left - .032, right - .029. Drop at heel: 2-1/16", drop at comb: 1-1/2". Neutral cast. Weight: 6 lbs. 14 oz. LOP: 14-1/4". Orig makers mahogany case with inlet brass corners and D-ring central handle has pivoting hook closure. Case is lined in green cloth and has tall rectangular Westley Richards label in lid stating "Makers to His Highness Prince Albert". SN is correctly written in pencil on wooden edge of lid under label. Case contains case hardened steel combination nipple wrench/ pricker with turnscrew under one brass cap and a spare nipple under another. Also in case is a brass bodied plain powder flask by Dixon, and a leather shot pouch with hunting scene embossed also by Dixon. CONDITION: Good. Bbls retain perhaps as much 50% orig Damascus finish thinning and browning overall, with traces of orig case hardening color on locks and stock retains most of what appears to be its orig finish with numerous marks, light dents, and rubs. Trigger plate, trigger guard, and buttplate appear to have been re-blued many years ago, with engraving considerably softened. Bores are good, shiny toward breech ends, with some pits toward muzzles. Locks are fine. Case is fair to good with some cracks in top, some loss to wood at sides, and back portion detaching from sides. Interior cloth is good, considerably stained and rubbed. Label is soiled, foxed and rubbed through from contact with hammer screw. Partitions are a bit loose. Compartment covers are modern replacements. Accessories are good. 51872-30 MGM72 (2,500-3,000)