October 22-23, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/22/2019
(1953) The grade "V" was one of the highest grades normally offered before the introduction of the "VI" of the late fifties and the "Midas" of the sixties onward with gold inlay. The "V" was the forerunner to and closely resembles the later "Diana" grade. Examples are quite scarce. This gun retains its original barrel length and chokes, but has been updated with target style forend, most likely done at time of fitting with three auxiliary skeet barrels in 20, 28, and .410 gauge by Cordy, and made for Simmons Guns Specialties. The original barrels with ventilated rib and early Browning St. Louis address only, are marked for full and full chokes, and are still choked this way. The replacement barrels are well made and marked for skeet and skeet, .410 barrels for 2 - 1/2" chambers, the others for 2 - 3/4". They are 26 - 1/2" in length. Coin finished superposed action with gold plated single selective trigger and non-automatic safety is engraved in early "V" style with semi-relief vignettes of group of pheasant on left, and ducks on right, surrounded by scrolling ribbons and acanthus. A pair of quail (?) fly across bottom of action and a pheasant is perched on limb on trigger guard bow. Seldom seen engraver's signature, "V Doyen" is at bottom of pheasant scene. Lightly fiddle figured and marbled European walnut long tang round knob buttstock measures 14 - 5/8" over newer Pachmayr white line black pad. Closely spaced point pattern checkering is at grip. Newer target forend matches well, but is lighter in color. Gun and barrels are housed in tan vinyl case with leather trim lined in blue velvet. CONDITION: Very fine, as lightly refurbished. Original barrels retain nearly all of what appears to be their original blue. Auxiliary barrels show very little use. Action retains nearly all of what appears to be its original coin finish. Buttstock retains nearly all of its original varnish with some light crazing and a few scattered marks. Pad is relatively new, and probably dates from time of auxiliary barrels and replacement forend wood which is excellent, near new. All bores are excellent. Mechanically excellent, except for a bit of sluggishness due to congealed oil. Case is very fine. MGM54.
Chamber
2 - 3/4" (.410: 2 - 1/2")
Choke
(O) .026 (Full) (U) .037 (Full)
Internal Bore Diameter
(O) .726 (U) .725