Product Details
JAMES PURDEY, LONDON
A CASED EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION 16-BORE PERCUSSION SPORTING RIFLE, serial no. 3164,
for 1838, with browned octagonal 30 1/4in. multi-groove rifled damascus barrel, the top-flat signed 'J. PURDEY, 314 1/2 OXFORD STREET, LONDON', dove-tailed fore-sight, dove-tailed standing notch rear-sight with two additional folding leaves, both with platinum centre-lines, colour hardened squared breech with engraved borderline and a platinum band and vented plug, the top of breech engraved with a '2', border and scroll engraved colour hardened top-tang also engraved with the numeral '2', colour hardened border and scroll engraved lock signed 'PURDEY' on the bar, engraved hammer with bolted safe, chequered walnut half-stock with border and scroll engraved colour hardened patch-box, engraved iron heel-plate (finish worn to face), blued trigger guard bow with chequered raised lower tang, plain trigger fitted, colour hardened and engraved barrel key escutcheons and turned and moulded ramrod throat, sling eye and button and heavy duty mahogany ramrod with ebony bun pommel and brass tool-end, the whole in a remarkable state of preservation with just light storage marks but generally appearing unfired and complete with its maker's mahogany case, lined and compartmented in green baize and retaining a full suite of accessories including a set trigger unit, a Sykes Patent powder flask signed 'PURDEY SR No.1', a ball-starter engraved 'LORD HOPETOUN, SINGLE RIFLE 3164', a mahogany ball rammer with brass guide, a William Davis ball mould also signed 'LORD HOPETOUN' and with matching number, a sprue cutter for same, two turn-screws, a nipple-key and well cleaner, a patch cutter, two shaped bone pots, one with caps, the other with wool mop, an ebony patch-pot, a dismountable nipple-key with pricker in a leather wallet marked 'RIFLE No. 3163', a charge measure, bone breech-brush, caps and a cleaning rod, the accessories also appearing little used
Provenance: A letter from the makers accompanies the lot stating this rifle was supplied as No.2 of a pair of single barrel rifles built for Lord Hopetoun and supplied on the 12th September 1838. It would appear that the nipple key in the wallet and the powder flask originated with the No.1 rifle of the pair
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Estimate £8,000-12,000