MASSIVE WESTLEY RICHARDS TOP LEVER HAMMER DOUBLE RIFLE WITH CASE.

MASSIVE WESTLEY RICHARDS TOP LEVER HAMMER DOUBLE RIFLE WITH CASE. SN 12213. (ca. 1872) Cal. 8 Bore (.842 Groove diameter). 4″ Chambers. This hefty and interesting large bore rifle features 26″ fine Damascus barrels with high, broad, flat top rib with Westley Richards patent doll’s head extension. Rib is engraved “Westley Richards. 170. New Bond St. London.” and “Whitworth Patent” referring to the distinctive 8-groove rifling of this rifle. Rear sights are 3 leaves with platinum lines marked for 100, 200, and 300 yards which all lie flush with the rib. Silver front bead is longitudinally dovetailed into matted portion of raised front rib. Bottoms of bbls are stamped with Birmingham black powder proofs, SN, “W R”, and “J.P” (James Purdey ?). Bottom of loop is stamped “W H”. Block for mounting sling eye is soldered into bottoms of bbls, eye has been removed. Extractor is stamped with SN. Large “crab-joint” bar-in-wood action has one-piece firing pins and Westley Richards patent pivoting top lever. Breechface is stamped “Westley Richards Patent 2076” which refers to this locking system. Front action locks have front sliding safeties with broad flat pinfire type hammers. Centered firing pins are actually struck by the breast of the dolphin heads. All metal parts are engraved with very nicely executed medium shaded scroll, at about 40% coverage. Hammer heads are engraved as stylized dolphins. “Westley Richards” is engraved on each lockplate. Trigger plate finial is fully engraved with spiked termination. Blued steel trigger guard is engraved with a fairly good rendition, for the period, of an elephant in tropical setting on bow, with SN and scroll on tang which extends to horn grip cap. Dense, lightly streaked, and slightly figured European walnut full pistol grip buttstock measures 14-7/8″ over Silvers type pad with horn plate. Stock features drop points, and beaded shadow line classic cheekpiece for right handed shooter. Coarse checkering is at approx. 16 LPI with mullered borders. Splinter forend has shaped horn tip with wood and checkering matching buttstock, and attaches to bbl with side nail through oval silver escutcheons. Drop at heel: 2-1/4″, drop at comb: 1-5/8″. Weight: 15 lbs. 7 oz, LOP 14-7/8″. Unmarked leather trunk case has decorative embossing on lid, and brass key lock stamped “Secure Patent”. Interior is lined with green cloth, and contains Parker Hale marked square oil bottle, and two keys. CONDITION: Very fine, as refurbished. Bbls retain 90 – 95% of a correctly colored re-brown with good definition to Damascus pattern. Engraving is slightly washed, and there are a number of fairly deep marks across rear portion of rib and express sights, which were there before the re-brown. Extractor limit screw is missing. Bores are excellent, bright, and shiny with a few very minor small pits towards muzzles. Actions, locks, and hammers show traces of orig case color in protected areas, but are mostly pewter gray showing evidence of cleaning during time past. Traces of bright blue are on safeties. Trigger guard has most of an old charcoal re-blue, with engraving slightly washed. Screw slots show considerable use. Pivot screw is a replacement, as is the screw securing grip cap. Wood is sound, and shows most of an old refinish, with one small patch, probably original, on right side of buttstock behind grip cap. Small incipient crack about 1/4″ long behind each lockplate. “Crab-joint” is in excellent condition. Forend has a repair approx 3″ long by 3/8″ high on left side above escutcheon. As said before, bores are excellent. Action has a hint of looseness with forend removed, but feels tight with forend in place. Locks are crisp. Safeties will not engage, possibly rendered inoperable by someone hunting big game who didn’t want the possibility of their being locked at the moment of truth. Case leather is a pleasing brown with numerous scuffs and marks. Corners of top have opened, and could use some stitching and re-stabilization. Straps and handle are recent well done replacements. New interior cloth is very fine with a few marks from contact with gun. Oil bottle is slightly frosted. A very fine example of a high quality dangerous game rifle from the 1870’s by one of the acknowledged bests. 4-41863 MGM5 (25,000-35,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011

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
	1140	$22,500.00	MASSIVE WESTLEY RICHARDS TOP LEVER HAMMER DOUBLE RIFLE WITH CASE. SN 12213. (ca. 1872) Cal. 8 Bore (.842 Groove diameter). 4″ Chambers. This hefty and interesting large bore rifle features 26″ fine Damascus barrels with high, broad, flat top rib with Westley Richards patent doll’s head extension. Rib is engraved “Westley Richards. 170. New Bond St. London.” and “Whitworth Patent” referring to the distinctive 8-groove rifling of this rifle. Rear sights are 3 leaves with platinum lines marked for 100, 200, and 300 yards which all lie flush with the rib. Silver front bead is longitudinally dovetailed into matted portion of raised front rib. Bottoms of bbls are stamped with Birmingham black powder proofs, SN, “W R”, and “J.P” (James Purdey ?). Bottom of loop is stamped “W H”. Block for mounting sling eye is soldered into bottoms of bbls, eye has been removed. Extractor is stamped with SN. Large “crab-joint” bar-in-wood action has one-piece firing pins and Westley Richards patent pivoting top lever. Breechface is stamped “Westley Richards Patent 2076” which refers to this locking system. Front action locks have front sliding safeties with broad flat pinfire type hammers. Centered firing pins are actually struck by the breast of the dolphin heads. All metal parts are engraved with very nicely executed medium shaded scroll, at about 40% coverage. Hammer heads are engraved as stylized dolphins. “Westley Richards” is engraved on each lockplate. Trigger plate finial is fully engraved with spiked termination. Blued steel trigger guard is engraved with a fairly good rendition, for the period, of an elephant in tropical setting on bow, with SN and scroll on tang which extends to horn grip cap. Dense, lightly streaked, and slightly figured European walnut full pistol grip buttstock measures 14-7/8″ over Silvers type pad with horn plate. Stock features drop points, and beaded shadow line classic cheekpiece for right handed shooter. Coarse checkering is at approx. 16 LPI with mullered borders. Splinter forend has shaped horn tip with wood and checkering matching buttstock, and attaches to bbl with side nail through oval silver escutcheons. Drop at heel: 2-1/4″, drop at comb: 1-5/8″. Weight: 15 lbs. 7 oz, LOP 14-7/8″. Unmarked leather trunk case has decorative embossing on lid, and brass key lock stamped “Secure Patent”. Interior is lined with green cloth, and contains Parker Hale marked square oil bottle, and two keys. CONDITION: Very fine, as refurbished. Bbls retain 90 – 95% of a correctly colored re-brown with good definition to Damascus pattern. Engraving is slightly washed, and there are a number of fairly deep marks across rear portion of rib and express sights, which were there before the re-brown. Extractor limit screw is missing. Bores are excellent, bright, and shiny with a few very minor small pits towards muzzles. Actions, locks, and hammers show traces of orig case color in protected areas, but are mostly pewter gray showing evidence of cleaning during time past. Traces of bright blue are on safeties. Trigger guard has most of an old charcoal re-blue, with engraving slightly washed. Screw slots show considerable use. Pivot screw is a replacement, as is the screw securing grip cap. Wood is sound, and shows most of an old refinish, with one small patch, probably original, on right side of buttstock behind grip cap. Small incipient crack about 1/4″ long behind each lockplate. “Crab-joint” is in excellent condition. Forend has a repair approx 3″ long by 3/8″ high on left side above escutcheon. As said before, bores are excellent. Action has a hint of looseness with forend removed, but feels tight with forend in place. Locks are crisp. Safeties will not engage, possibly rendered inoperable by someone hunting big game who didn’t want the possibility of their being locked at the moment of truth. Case leather is a pleasing brown with numerous scuffs and marks. Corners of top have opened, and could use some stitching and re-stabilization. Straps and handle are recent well done replacements. New interior cloth is very fine with a few marks from contact with gun. Oil bottle is slightly frosted. A very fine example of a high quality dangerous game rifle from the 1870’s by one of the acknowledged bests. 4-41863 MGM5 (25,000-35,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 2011 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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