Product Details
J. WOODWARD & SONS
A 12-BORE 1876 PATENT 'THE AUTOMATIC' PUSH-FORWARD UNDERLEVER SIDELOCK NON-EJECTOR, serial no. 3664,
29in. nitro reproved fine damascus barrels, the rib engraved '"THE AUTOMATIC" JAMES WOODWARD & SONS. 64 St. JAMES'S STREET. LONDON', and gold-inlaid '1' at the breech end, 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. true cyl. and 1/4 choke, left wall at 18, push-forward underlever, T. Southgate and J. Woodward patent 'Automatic' lever-cocking action, patent no. 600 of 1876, use number 281, ornate carved leaf fences, the top-strap gold-inlaid '1', automatic safety with gold-inlaid 'BOLTED' detail, protruding tumbler pivots with gold-inlaid cocking-indicators, the lockplates with 'cocked' detail, fine border and floral scroll engraving, the underside engraved 'THE AUTOMATIC' and 'WOODWARD'S PATENT' in an elaborate cartouche, 14 1/2in. figured stock inset with a gold circular escutcheon bearing a stag's head crest, including 3/8in. ebonite extension, weight 6lb. 14oz.
Provenance: The makers have kindly informed us that this shotgun was completed as no.1 of a pair in November 1879 with 29in. barrels for the Marquis of Stafford.
Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland and styled Marquess of Stafford from 1861 and 1892. He was schooled at Eton before joining the 2nd Life Guards as Cornet. He was then commissioned into the Staffordshire Yeomanry in 1876 with the rank of Captain and by 1898 had become the regiment's Honorary Colonel. Away from his army career, he was some time Master of the North Staffordshire Hunt.
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Estimate £1,500-2,000
S2 - Sold as a Section 2 Firearm under the 1968 Firearms Act