October 22-23, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/23/2019
This is a Commercial Class C fluted jacket Vickers gun made under contract for El Salvador. Graduated peep sight affixed to feed shuttle cover and has a brass plate mounted to top cover indicating British patent numbers from 1901-1910. SN is on top rear of water jacket, bottom of backplate, bottom plate as well as inside of feed shuttle cover. Muzzle booster is of unarmored type with original brass looped chain and cork present with retention hooks. Marked Inside feed-way on top of trunnion, “REBUILT BY STUMP ARMAMENT HARLAN, KY”. Bolt face is marked “VSM”, bottom of bolt has British broad arrow proofs, nitro proofs and dated “43”. Bottom of trunnion marked “MKII”. Feed block is marked “VSM.303”. Bottom of trunnion is marked, “JPL T AZ85653”, which indicates that at one time this arm was in the possession Pat Tomlinson, a noted firearms enthusiast and personal friend of Dolf Goldsmith. Backplate trigger marked “VSM”, handles are contoured commercial type without provision for brushes. Extremely rare commercial tripod marked “VSM 191 NO 9017”. Brass data plate on both left and right side of tripod head marked “VICKERS LIMITED LONDON” and marked “VSM 1913” with SN in several places. PROVENANCE: The class III weapons formerly on loan to Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. CONDITION: Overall finish and appearance is extremely fine. Over 90% coverage dull blue military finish with fusee cover a brown patina over numerous spots of light pitting. Some loss of finish to bright metal at high points of feed shuttle and moving points of rear sight. Water jacket retains over 95% coverage green, repainted finish. Drain cork in fine, serviceable condition. Wooden handles on backplate have some chips, gouges and handling marks but still present well. Mechanics are fine. Bore has strong rifling, dark in grooves. Bolt face extremely fine. Tripod retains over 90% of its original green painted finish; cloth pads on seat 90% complete with some loss on high ridges; strap which holds legs together is a replacement web; leveling bubble unbroken but no liquid inside. This is an unusual and exceedingly scarce variant of the Vickers water cooled machine gun and the tripod is an absolutely outstanding accessory. THIS IS A NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT ITEM AND REQUIRES BATF APPROVAL PRIOR TO TRANSFER. THIS ITEM IS FULLY TRANSFERABLE ON AN ATF FORM 3 OR 4 AS CURIO AND RELIC ELIGIBLE. JWK 2019-10-86
Manufacturer
Vickers Sons & Company