Product Details
CHARLES LANCASTER
AN UNUSUAL 16-BORE SIDELEVER HAMMERGUN, serial no. 4682, with extra 20-bore barrels,
25in. black powder only 16-bore damascus barrels, rib engraved 'CHARLES LANCASTER. 151 NEW BOND STREET. LONDON. "PATENT BREECH LOADING"', 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. true cyl choke in both (shortened), with diminutive fore-end with crosspin release and horn finial;
26in. 20-bore damascus barrels (available for sleeving purposes only) with identical rib engraving and with additional barrel number 4803, with diminutive fore-end (numbered 4803), with crosspin release and horn finial;
Lancaster patent action with striker discs, non-rebounding back-action locks with hammers of hare's-ear form, the breasts of the hammers hitting the firing pins, left-mounted sidelever, best acanthus scroll engraving,14 1/2in. well-figured pistolgrip stock with engraved steel pistolgrip-cap, weight 6lb. 4oz.
Provenance: The makers have kindly confirmed that the gun was built as a 16-bore with 2ft. 6in. barrels in 1874 for a Lieut. Col. Warrand and the 20-bore barrels were built for him two years later.
Further research has uncovered that It was made for a one armed army officer William Edmund Warrand born in 1831 and this explains its unusual configuration. Warrand joined the Royal Engineers in 1849 and eventually left the army as a Major General in 1883. As a Lieutenant he took part in the Indian Mutiny and at the siege and capture of Delhi in 1857 he lost his arm. Consequently he had to shoot with one arm, and his guns had to be made as light as possible, small bore, short barrels and mini fore-ends. He resided at Westhorpe Hall, Nottinghamshire
Other Notes: Please note the 20-bore barrels and fore-end may be made available to the purchaser of the Lot for sleeving purposes only and will only be released cut in the approved manner as per Proof House guidelines (this applied to all buyers regardless of licence held or country of destination)
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Estimate £800-1,200
S2