Product Details
J. PURDEY & SONS
A SCARCE 12-BORE 1879 PATENT ROUNDED-BAR SIDELOCK NON-EJECTOR, serial no. 10491,
for 1879, 30in. black powder reproved Whitworth-steel barrels, the rib engraved '2' and 'J. PURDEY & SONS 314 1/2 OXFORD STREET, LONDON. MADE OF SIR JOSEPH WHITWORTH'S FLUID PRESSED STEEL', 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. 1/4 and 1/2 choke, right wall at 17, some dents, action incorporating toplever variant lever-cocking William Adams patent design, patent no. 1128 of 20th March 1879, with side-clips and finely carved in high relief with leaf designs, elongated toplever, automatic safety with silver-inlaid 'SAFE' detail (original top t-bar section of safety catch broken off), large protruding tumbler pivots with cocking-indicators, rounded bar, replacement side nail, fine acanthus scroll engraving with floral bouquets, the underside with 'PURDEY'S PATENT', the triggerguard with possible later shim, retaining very slight traces of original colour-hardening, 14 1/8in. highly-figured stock including 1/2in. ebonite buttplate, weight 6lb. 8oz.
Provenance: The makers have kindly confirmed that this gun was completed on the 19th August, 1879 for an H.M. Evans, with 29in. damascus barrels
Literature: In his definitive book 'JAMES PURDEY & SONS GUN AND RIFLE MAKERS. TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF EXCELLENCE', Donald Dallas notes that prior to the 1880 patent Beesley action, Purdey's did use various designs of hammerless action, including Gibbs & Pitt and William Adams. William Adams was a Purdey gunmaker in the 1870's and Purdey's actually applied and paid for the registering of his 1879 patent and they also paid him a sum of £5 - thus giving them unrestricted rights to use the design in their line up. Adams would go on to work with Stephen Grant and Boss & Co. (and would help co-design the first pattern of Boss single trigger with John Robertson).
Donald also notes that just 31 hammerless guns appear in the Purdey records prior to 1880
Other Notes: A second pair of contemporary but unsigned damascus barrels may be made available to the purchaser of this Lot, cut as per proof house regulations for sleeving purposes
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Estimate £1,500-2,000
S2 - Sold as a Section 2 Firearm under the 1968 Firearms Act