GUN SPRING 2018
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/21/2018
MAGNIFICENT BRACE OF ANACHRONISTIC PERCUSSION EXPRESS DOUBLE RIFLES BY JOHN DICKSON & SON MADE FOR THE ECCENTRIC CHARLES GORDON IN THEIR TWO TIER OAK CASE WITH HIGH QUALITY ACCESSORIES.DICKSONPERCUSSION DBL RIFLE3795/ 379645W/CASE, ACCESS(1883) Cal. 45. 6-Groove Whitworth rifling. These guns were built as a pair and are marked "1" or "2" on bbls. Gun "1" bbls are 28" long and made of steel, while gun "2" has 30-1/8" bbls of broad two stripe Damascus. Both sets are mounted with broad file cut ribs holding one standing, two folding leaf express rear sights, and silver bead fronts. They are engraved "John Dickson & Son" "63 Princes Street. Edinburgh" on tops. Bottoms of bbls are stamped with SNs and London black powder proofs. Brass tipped ebony ramrods with grooved heads and steel worms under capped tails are held by two plain pipes, rears have sling eyes. Patent breeches are nicely filed and have engraved platinum blow-outs along with a splash of scroll on rib extensions. Breech irons with integral fences are near fully scroll engraved. Bar locks (unusual because Charles Gordon mostly ordered guns with back action locks) mounted with tall flat faced serpentine hammers have front sliding safeties that engage at half cock. Trigger plates have spear and ball finials, matching thimbles. Charcoal blued trigger guards with checkered steel grips have SNs at grips. Buttplates also are charcoal blued, and broadly checkered, and have long top spurs. There are spring loaded patch boxes on left sides of butts. All metal parts are near fully engraved with exceptionally well cut varying sized, but very small, scroll. "John Dickson & Son" is on each lockplate. "1" and "2" are engraved on trigger guard spurs, and inside of patch boxes engraved "Charge of Powder 3 Drams C & H No 6". Stocks of finely matched beautifully marbled and figured dark European walnut feature racy swept shadow line right hand cheekpieces and very well cut point pattern checkering with mullered borders at grip and forend. Well shaped drop points are behind each lock, and there are vacant silver ovals and sling eyes on toe lines. Stocks attach to bbls with temper blued captive side bolts through shaped and engraved steel escutcheons. Rifles are housed in their orig quartered oak 2-tier case with inlet shaped brass corners, circular central medallion, pivoting hook closure, and brass reinforcing braces on corners. Interior is lined in checkered pattern pigskin with large paper Dickson Princes Street label in lid. Bbls fit in lift out tray which is semi-French fitted for a number of best quality accessories including a steel bullet mold casting a long conical bullet with hollow base which is SNed to this pair of rifles. Other accessories include silver plated cap dispenser by Allport, rosewood patch container, 2 pigskin lined bag flasks by Hawksley throwing charges for between 3-4 drams, percussion nipple cleaner by Dixon which is silver plated, and another that is made of German silver. A covered compartment holds an ebony handled dusting brush, and a leather bag, along with key which locks this case (fob marked "rifle case"). Stocks and locks are stored in bottom of compartment which also contains another capper by Dixon, Hawksley marked pewter oil bottle, rosewood loading mallet, and an unopened tin of percussion caps by Joyce. PROVENANCE: Book, CHARLES GORDON MAGNIFICENT MADNESS by Donald Dallas, where these rifles are pictured on the dust jacket cover, and pictured and described on p. 40 and 41 with notation that these rifles sold in the 1908 sale of Gordon's estate for 11 shillings (55 pence each). CONDITION: Excellent, very close to new, appear unfired. There are only a few scattered tiny spots of cleaned pitting on tops of Damascus bbls, and some minor minuscule nicks and dings in stocks. Case hardening lacquer show some areas rubbed, but only one or two light scratches and storage rubs mar the exquisite deep charcoal blue of buttplates and trigger guards. Bores are brilliant, locks crisp. Case retains over 80% of its orig varnish with some rubs and scratches. Interior leather has some compressions from contact with bbls. Partitions are excellent. Accessories are excellent. 53177-15 mgm152 (40,000-60,000)