May 28 & 29, 2020 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/29/2020
Made in 1948, this beautiful high original condition Crown Grade 20 bore with 26" barrels with raised, matted rib, with two red beads, are engraved “L. C. SMITH” CROWN “GRADE” and “L. C. Smith Gun Co., Inc” “Fulton. N. Y.” on tops. Engine turned barrel flats are engraved with serial number and “C” and stamped with Hunter nitro proofs. Bottoms of barrels are stamped with patent information and Hunter Arms nitro steel logos. Breech ends of barrels are engraved with 1 - 1/2" wedges of scroll. Case hardened featherweight action is engraved with serial number and “C” on water table, and fitted with Hunter One trigger. Action is engraved with about 50% coverage of scroll with rose bouquet highlights. Gold crown is inlaid in gold on top lever. Lockplates have engraved scenes of hunting dogs with pointers on right, setters on left, in detailed backgrounds on each plate all in typical “Crown Grade” pattern. “L. C. SMITH” is in scrolled ribands at the front of each lock. Blued trigger guard has matching scroll and floral engraving with serial number at grip. Nicely crotch figured American walnut straight grip buttstock with 20 LPI checkering is borderless in point and scrolled pattern. Matching large sculpted beavertail ejector forend has spring and roll ejector type release, with serial number engraved on iron. CONDITION: Excellent. Barrels retain essentially all of their satin blue, with some silvering from contact with forend, and on sharp edges of rib. Action and lockplates retain 95% original case hardening color, slightly silvered on fences, bottom of action, and top lever thumbpiece. Trigger guard retains 90% of its original blue, silvering at grip. Stocks retain nearly all of their original oil finish with only a few minor marks. Bores are excellent. Action is tight. Trigger works. There is a very slight stress crack behind left lockplate. An exceptional, high condition, small bore, Crown grade matching all original factory specifications. It would be extremely difficult to improve upon this Crown! PROVENANCE: From the Carl Balderson Jr. Estate Collection. JSL
Item Dimensions: L: 43 - 1/2".
Barrel Wall Thickness
(L) .041 (R) .043
Internal Bore Diameter
(BOTH) .613