HIGH ORIGINAL CONDITION WILKINSON & SON RETAILED, PRESENTATION, WESTLEY RICHARDS 1869 PATENT IMPROVED MARTINI RIFLE WITH ORIGINAL WOODEN CASE AND LOADING TOOLS.

SN 1628. Cal. .450. no. 2 Westley Richards musket. 26″ Tapered round bbl with Nock form is fitted with one standing, two folding leaf rear sight with ladder sight graduated to 800 yards. A bronze bead front sight is dovetailed into raised base. A sling eye is on bottom. Top center is marked “HENRY’S PATENT RIFLING”. Nock form is marked “RIFLE” “FOR No 2 CASE” with SN and proofs on left. Top center is engraved “WILKINSON & SON 27 PALL MALL. LONDON.” Blued 1869 patent action has pierced operating lever, and is fitted with Lyman folding tang sight with windage adjustment. Left side of action is marked “WESTLEY RICHARD’S PATENT” and “170 NEW BOND St LONDON”. Nicely fiddle figured European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14-1/8″ over blued steel buttplate with trap. Coarse point pattern checkering with mullered borders is at grip, and a sling eye, matching that on bbl, is on toe line. Sides of stock have large inlet silver ovals, one engraved “Presented By Lord Northwick to G. W. WHITE”. The other is finely engraved with the crest of the Harrow School: a lion rampant within scrolled shield surmounted by crossed arrows through wreath, all over motto in scrolled riband “STET. FORTVNA. DOMVS.” (A G. W. White matriculated from the Harrow School in the 1870’s.) Matching forend with shaped horn tip, attaches to bbl with side nail through oval steel escutcheons. Drop at heel: approx 1-7/8″, drop at comb: approx 1-5/8″. Weight: 7 lbs. 7 oz. LOP: 14-1/8″. Deal wood box with key lock orig closure has been stained dark brown, with later bail lock latches applied. Case was originally unlined, but now has a red cloth lining which has been cut around orig Wilkinson white paper label on lid. Case contains Davis type brass mold marked “450”, 10 paper patch bullets, and 6 pieces of an orig Westley Richards loading set for the 450 no. 2 cartridge. The sizing die is stamped “Westley Richards” and “4 R”. Also included are tamping rod, stamped “5”, and with other parts stamped “3” and “2”. Numbers most likely correspond to loading instructions (not present). Also included are a new set of C&H reloading dies, a tong type recapper/ decapper, and a Berdan decapper, along with approx 50 Boxer and 52 Berdan unprimed brass. CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. Most known examples of this short-lived rifle have seen hard service throughout the British empire. Wal Winfer in BRITISH SINGLE RIFLES Vol.4 has pictured four or five, and lists fewer than ten. One of those pictured is shown in a similar box with loading tools. Bbl retains 90 – 95% orig blue, silvered on sharp edges, with a few minor marks and some thinning. Action retains 85 – 90% of its orig bright charcoal blue with some marks, most loss due to flaking. Stocks retain nearly all of their orig finish with light scattered handling marks. Bore is excellent. Action is smooth. Exterior of case appears to have been refinished a long time ago. Newer interior cloth is good. Label is fine with some stains. Mold is very fine, with some rust on hinge and sprue plate. Reloading tools are mostly bright polish with some areas of cleaned oxidation. Dies are new, Berdan brass cleaned, Boxer brass appears new. An exceptionally fine, cased, early rifle, undoubtedly with a good story worthy of further research. 4-51236 (5,000-8,000) – Lot 2481

Auction: Firearms - March 2015

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.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2481	$5,900.00	HIGH ORIGINAL CONDITION WILKINSON & SON RETAILED, PRESENTATION, WESTLEY RICHARDS 1869 PATENT IMPROVED MARTINI RIFLE WITH ORIGINAL WOODEN CASE AND LOADING TOOLS. SN 1628. Cal. .450. no. 2 Westley Richards musket. 26″ Tapered round bbl with Nock form is fitted with one standing, two folding leaf rear sight with ladder sight graduated to 800 yards. A bronze bead front sight is dovetailed into raised base. A sling eye is on bottom. Top center is marked “HENRY’S PATENT RIFLING”. Nock form is marked “RIFLE” “FOR No 2 CASE” with SN and proofs on left. Top center is engraved “WILKINSON & SON 27 PALL MALL. LONDON.” Blued 1869 patent action has pierced operating lever, and is fitted with Lyman folding tang sight with windage adjustment. Left side of action is marked “WESTLEY RICHARD’S PATENT” and “170 NEW BOND St LONDON”. Nicely fiddle figured European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14-1/8″ over blued steel buttplate with trap. Coarse point pattern checkering with mullered borders is at grip, and a sling eye, matching that on bbl, is on toe line. Sides of stock have large inlet silver ovals, one engraved “Presented By Lord Northwick to G. W. WHITE”. The other is finely engraved with the crest of the Harrow School: a lion rampant within scrolled shield surmounted by crossed arrows through wreath, all over motto in scrolled riband “STET. FORTVNA. DOMVS.” (A G. W. White matriculated from the Harrow School in the 1870’s.) Matching forend with shaped horn tip, attaches to bbl with side nail through oval steel escutcheons. Drop at heel: approx 1-7/8″, drop at comb: approx 1-5/8″. Weight: 7 lbs. 7 oz. LOP: 14-1/8″. Deal wood box with key lock orig closure has been stained dark brown, with later bail lock latches applied. Case was originally unlined, but now has a red cloth lining which has been cut around orig Wilkinson white paper label on lid. Case contains Davis type brass mold marked “450”, 10 paper patch bullets, and 6 pieces of an orig Westley Richards loading set for the 450 no. 2 cartridge. The sizing die is stamped “Westley Richards” and “4 R”. Also included are tamping rod, stamped “5”, and with other parts stamped “3” and “2”. Numbers most likely correspond to loading instructions (not present). Also included are a new set of C&H reloading dies, a tong type recapper/ decapper, and a Berdan decapper, along with approx 50 Boxer and 52 Berdan unprimed brass. CONDITION: Exceptionally fine. Most known examples of this short-lived rifle have seen hard service throughout the British empire. Wal Winfer in BRITISH SINGLE RIFLES Vol.4 has pictured four or five, and lists fewer than ten. One of those pictured is shown in a similar box with loading tools. Bbl retains 90 – 95% orig blue, silvered on sharp edges, with a few minor marks and some thinning. Action retains 85 – 90% of its orig bright charcoal blue with some marks, most loss due to flaking. Stocks retain nearly all of their orig finish with light scattered handling marks. Bore is excellent. Action is smooth. Exterior of case appears to have been refinished a long time ago. Newer interior cloth is good. Label is fine with some stains. Mold is very fine, with some rust on hinge and sprue plate. Reloading tools are mostly bright polish with some areas of cleaned oxidation. Dies are new, Berdan brass cleaned, Boxer brass appears new. An exceptionally fine, cased, early rifle, undoubtedly with a good story worthy of further research. 4-51236 (5,000-8,000) – Lot 2481 Auction: Firearms - March 2015 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.

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HIGH ORIGINAL CONDITION WILKINSON & SON RETAILED, PRESENTATION, WESTLEY RICHARDS 1869 PATENT IMPROVED MARTINI RIFLE WITH ORIGINAL WOODEN CASE AND LOADING TOOLS.