Product Details
PROPERTY OF THE DUKE OF AYMER
WATSON BROS.
A VIRTUALLY UNUSED TRIO OF FRIEDRICH-ENGRAVED 12-BORE ROUND-BODIED SINGLE-TRIGGER OVER AND UNDER SIDELOCK EJECTORS, serial no. 20371 / 2 / 3, each with a 32in. and a 29in. set of barrels,
32in. nitro barrels with tapered solid file cut top-ribs, the breech ends carved in high relief with Edwardian acanthus scrollwork and gold-inlaid '1', '2' and '3', side ribs, the over barrels engraved 'WATSON BROS 41. TOWER BRIDGE ROAD. LONDON.', 2 3/4in. chambers, bored approx. 3/4 choke in all;
29in. nitro barrels with tapered solid file cut top-ribs, the breech ends carved in high relief with Edwardian acanthus scrollwork and gold-inlaid '1', '2' and '3', side ribs, the over barrels engraved 'WATSON BROS 41. TOWER BRIDGE ROAD. LONDON.', 2 3/4in. chambers, bored approx. 1/4 and 1/2 choke each;
hold-open toplevers gold-inlaid '1', '2' and '3' in gold-highlighted ovals, automatic safeties with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' details, cocking-indicators, non-selective single-triggers with rolled-edge triggerguards, the actions, lockplates and furniture profusely carved in high relief with Edwardian acanthus motifs, the lockplates with scrolling banners gold-inlaid with the makers name, the undersides with central game scene vignettes carved in high relief and gold-inlaid in rose and yellow gold, the No.1 gun with a lone grouse, the No.2 with a flushed covey of English partridge, the No.3 gun with a lone cock pheasant alighting, the triggerplates signed 'E. Friedrich', the triggerguard tangs gold-inlaid with the serial numbers, 15 1/4in. highly-figured stocks with Prince of Wales semi-pistolgrips, carved domed steel pistolgrip-caps and engraved steel heel and toe plates, the fore-end furniture carved en suite, weight 7lb. 6oz. (32in. barrels) and 6lb. 14oz. (29in. barrels), in their fleece-lined leather gunslips embossed 'WATSON BROS.', the 32in. barrels in their fitted leather case with canvas outer
Provenance: The makers have kindly supplied us with the following information:
Completed before the 2016 grouse season, Watson Bros serial numbers 20371, 20372, 20373 were a special order for a discerning Duke which took three years to manufacture in our Tower Bridge factory. The brief was to make an outstanding trio of guns with 32" barrels for those high pheasant days and 29" barrels for grouse and partridge. Built with our revolutionary new ejector system, these guns are designed for not only heavy days but work well as light game guns with the 29" barrels.
Engraved with our heavy midnight forest design with deep relief and carved fences. The no 1 gun, features a grouse scene - being the first game. The no 2 gun, features a covey of partridge and no 3 gun with a raising pheasant. All meticulously done in multi-coloured gold by our engraver Erich Friedrich. Stocked with Prince of Wales grip, complemented with steel pistol caps and matching heel and toe pieces, all heavily engraved to match. The stocks were a quadruple set with the fourth still available in our factory.
We have refinished the guns to their showroom condition and are delighted to offer any new client our full mechanical warranty, which is automatically extended every year simply by having them serviced by ourselves. We hope the new owner will enjoy these guns and benefit from an immediate delivery.
Watson Bros. were the subject of an article published in Fieldsports magazine, please click HERE to access a copy of the article.
Please click HERE to view Terms & Conditions.
Estimate £140,000-180,000
S2