Image Lot Price Description











2365
$21,275.00
Revised: 11/1/2012 

Correction: Lot 2362, 2365 and 2368 were owned by Winston Franklin Churchill Guest, not lots 1333, 1334 and 1335 as stated in the catalog.

*WINSTON GUEST’S FINE AND RARE PURDEY BEST SIDELOCK EJECTOR HEAVY GAME GUN WITH “JOE KNAPP CLUB” STOCK MEDALLION. SN 20730. This lot was owned by the internationally known sportsman and Ernest Hemingway confidant, Winston Franklin Churchill Guest. Winston Guest and his celebrity wife “CZ” Cochrane Guest were married at Hemingway’s house “Finca Vigia” in Havana in 1947 with Hemingway as best man. Guest and the American government outfitted Hemingway’s sportfisher “Pilar” during the much chronicled hunt for German U-boats in the Gulf Stream during WWII and was one of the crew. The Hemingway double rifle aboard “Pilar” which Julia’s sold in the March 2011 auction for $339,250 was a gift from “Wolfie” as Hemingway called him. The two hunted extensively together in the Americas and made several trips to Africa. English born Guest was a ten goal polo player who led Yale’s polo team to the intercollegiate championship. He became an American citizen at age 21 in order to play on the USA international polo team. He won the International Polo Cup for America against England in 1930. 1936, and 1939, versus Argentina in 1928 and 1932, and against Mexico in 1941. His grandmother was Lady Cornelia Spencer – Churchill, daughter of John Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough. He was Godson, second cousin and namesake of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Cal. 12 ga. 3″ Chambers. Purdey records indicate completed for Mr. R. Sinclair in September 1913. 31″ Chopper lump bbls have raised concave rib, engraved with Purdey’s Audley House address, and Whitworth’s steel designation. Bbl flats are stamped with London nitro proofs for 1-1/2 oz of shot, and long chamber designation. Bottom of bbls are stamped with “Choke” and SN. Bottom of left bbl is stamped with initials “W.H” (long time Purdey bbl maker William Hill). Tube nos. 46653 and 46654 are on loop. Robust Beesley patent self-opening sidelock action features automatic safety (SAFE inlaid in gold), bushed strikers, Purdey third fastener, side clips, and raised rib tumbler end cocking indicators. Action and sideplates are engraved with nicely cut and shaded Purdey house style rose bouquet and scroll. “J. Purdey & Sons” is on each lockplate, and on bottom of action. Scroll engraved trigger guard has SN on tang. Dark streaked and slightly figured European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 15-5/16″ over thin black “Kick-eez” pad. Stock features drop points and point pattern checkering with mullered borders. Toe line has gold relief cast oval bust inscribed “Member Joe Knapp Club”. Splinter ejector forend has Anson release. Iron is marked with actioner’s initials “J.T” (Joseph Thompson). Iron is also engraved with numeral “3”, which is also inlaid in gold on forend tip and top lever. Bore diameter: left -.732, right -.731. Bore restrictions: left -.038, right -.037. Wall thickness: left -.034, right -.034. Drop at heel: 2-3/16″, drop at comb: 1-9/16″. Weight: 8 lbs. 13 oz. LOP 15-5/16″. Joesph P. Knapp, a wealthy NY print magnate and publisher, was an avid sportsman and founded the “More Game Birds in America” conservation movement which later became “Ducks Unlimited”. The 2500 acre Joe Knapp Club located in Mackey Island, NC was the subject of an article in “Shooting Sportsman” by Jim Fender (March/ April 2005) describing 2 other guns with this distinctive medallion. Winston Guest would have certainly moved in the same sporting and social circles with Knapp and especially with his adventurous son J.F. “Dodi” Knapp in the 1930s and’40s. An infamous 1935 dockside bout of fisticuffs between Dodi Knapp and Hemingway in Bimini over a “Big Fish” serves to substantiate this connection. PROVENANCE: One of three Purdey guns obtained by the consignor directly from the family of Winston Guest. CONDITION: Fine. Bbls retain nearly all of a London quality re-black, with a few marks, light scratches, and some freckling. Engraving is very slightly washed. Action is silver gray with some scattered fairly deep pitting on fences. Lockplates are all mostly silver gray over traces of case color. Stocks show nearly all of a hand rubbed oil finish, edges slightly rounded, checkering re-cut. Bores are excellent, with just a hint of frosting. Action is tight. Bbls are on face. Drop shows wear, with forend iron marking action. Ejectors are in time. Very few big guns of this type were ever made by Purdey’s and this is the only known “Joe Knapp Club” Purdey in existence. 4-40348 MGM31 (20,000-25,000)


Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012
Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.