September 10-12, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/10/2024
Dovetail lump barrels with a bead front sight on a wide, flat, serration matted rib with a dovetailed express rear sight fit with one standing leaf and one folding leaf, folding leaf marked for 200 yards and both fit with silver express lines; open vignette reads "T.W. Watson 4 Pall Mall. London". Doll's head rib extension with scroll engraving, and wrigglework about the breech. Underside of tubes with a sling eye on base soldered to underside of rib, with "1071" on left tube, "HENRY'S PATENT A&T 4588" and "...4589", "J.F. 13936" behind lump. Action flats with view and proof marks and a 39 bore designation (.500 BPE). Splinter forearm with wooden insert at tip and a slick press button release that resembles a key-and-escutcheon system. Action flats a view proofs and a patent, soft, nut looks like "E.C. Hodges / Patent / 882". Back action island locks with English stocking safeties with bordered scrolls and signed "T.W. Watson". Sidelever on the right side, double triggers protected by a trigger guard with tang engraved with serial number, which runs down to grip cap. Lovely, smokily grained walnut stock with pistol grip, sling eye and vacant oval at toe line, and fitted with a pistol grip cap and checkered butt, which appears to have done with a rocker tool. CONDITION: Excellent as professionally and competently restored, retaining virtually all of those finishes with some very mild handling mars and thinning to only the sharpest edges and most sensitive finishes, such as straw. Legends somewhat softened by refinish but legible. Stock has some chipping around the top tang and some scattered minor mark sand impressions, heavier towards butt. Mechanically fine, bores are very good with strong rifling and minor frosting. A lovely restored rifle.