HUGE J. DICKSON FOUR BORE HAMMER SHOTGUN MADE FOR CHARLES GORDON, WITH ORIGINAL CASE, LEATHER OUTER COVER, AND ACCESSORIES.

HUGE J. DICKSON FOUR BORE HAMMER SHOTGUN MADE FOR CHARLES GORDON, WITH ORIGINAL CASE, LEATHER OUTER COVER, AND ACCESSORIES. SN 4234. Cal. 4 Bore. 4″ Chambers. Massive 42″ dovetailed steel barrels are engraved “John Dickson & Son. 63 Princes Street. Edinburgh.” on broad flat raised rib with dolls head extension. Bbl flats are stamped with orig London proofs and 1988 nitro re-proofs at .957″ and 4″ chambers. “J. D & S” and SN are stamped at front of flats. Robust, almost 3″ high, 4-3/4″ long, 3-1/4″ wide, case hardened Jones under lever action has nicely filed fences. 5-1/2″ Down curved peninsula back action locks have rebounding tall serpentine hammers. Action and locks are engraved with about 80% coverage classic small English scroll. “John Dickson & Son” is engraved on both lockplates. Case hardened steel trigger guard is also scroll engraved with SN on grip, which extends to large engraved steel grip cap. Finely marbled, and lightly figured Circassian walnut full capped pistol grip buttstock measures 14-9/16″ over 6-1/2″ high steel buttplate with long scroll engraved top extension. Coarse flat top checkering is mostly borderless, but with curved mullered borders at front ends. A silver oval on toe line is engraved with initials “R. A. H. C”. Fully checkered large splinter forend has shaped steel tip and mounts to bbl with side nail through engraved oval escutcheons with circular extensions. Bore diameter: left-.957, right -.957. Bore restrictions: left – Approx .032, right – Approx .037. Wall thickness: left -.070, right -.068. Drop at heel: 2-5/8″, drop at comb: 1-5/8″. Weight: 22 lbs. 5 oz. LOP 14-9/16″. 45″ Long, 12-1/4″ wide, and 4-1/2″ deep original makers quartered oak case, has pivoting brass hook closures, inlet cyma curved brass corners, round central brass medallion, and D-ring handle on right end. Lid is held by 4 hinges. Case is lined in medium green felt with unusual black, heavy card, gold embossed and edged, John Dickson & Son label. Compartments in bottom are semi-French fitted for action and bbls. Orig accessories are French fitted and include: unmarked, green painted brass and blued steel ebony handled 4 bore roll crimping tool; lacquered brass and ebony shot and powder dippers; horn handled turnscrew; rosewood handled turnscrew; ebony handled off-set striker key; 4 bore broken case extractor; large pewter oil bottle marked “G & J. W. Hawksley”; and turned bone striker bottle containing pair of spare strikers and nipples. An extremely large 2-pc brass and rosewood cleaning rod is in its own compartment. Other compartments contain a pair of nickel-plated snap caps marked “John Dickson & Son” and “4”; an assortment of 3 brass and paper 4-bore cases; brass 4-bore recapper; and a number of mops, turks heads, and brushes for cleaning. Large leather outer cover for case is lined with pillow ticking and has double flap closure secured by three straps, and has provision for 3 straps around body of case, two are present. Top of outer case is embossed “CHARLES GORDON ESQr”. Also included is a 2-pc cardboard box with yellow label for Eley 4-ga cartridges, containing 5 loaded Eley cartridges with red hulls, and 3 with flesh colored hulls marked “Eley Nobel”. PROVENANCE: 1989 factory letter with factory records and Christies auction listing. Cover letter relates that this is one of only two 4-bore Dickson doubles ever made,and “the wildfowl migrating south will have to fly at the same altitude as 747s to avoid the barrage which this monster can hose out.” (This gun is pictured and described on pages 48 – 49 of CHARLES GORDON MAGNIFICENT MADNESS by Donald Dallas.It appears CG ordered this gun as a Christmas present for himself.). CONDITION: Excellent, as partially refinished. Bbls retain nearly all of a London quality re-black, probably done at time of re-proof. Engraving on rib and ends of bbls is slightly washed. All metal parts retain 40 – 50% orig case hardening color, quite vivid in protected areas, but are mostly pewter gray to brown. Buttplate has been re-blued, and retains nearly all of that blue. Stocks retain what appear to be most of their orig finish. Checkering sympathetically re-run. Bores are excellent, bright and shiny throughout, with some very minor frosting at breech ends. Action is tight. Bbls are on face. Locks are crisp. Case is very fine, retaining nearly all its orig finish, with a few minor scrapes and marks, and an incipient 6″ crack on lid. Original interior cloth is fine showing numerous small spots of discoloration to yellow, and minor marks and soiling from contact with gun. Label is very fine, but with dime sized indentation from contact with hammer screw. Accessories for the most part are excellent. Horn handled turnscrew is most probably a replacement as it does not fit compartment well. Green paint on crimping tool is considerably chipped, and blued portions are flaked. Leather outer cover is fine, leather for the most part still light in color, with a number of stains and marks, as would be expected from 150 years of wear and tear. Leather closing straps are intact, but getting tired. One of the banding straps has lost its tongue. A truly exceptional, investment quality, unique gun made for Britain’s most noted eccentric collector. 4-45099 MGM194 (40,000-60,000)

Auction: Firearms - Spring 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.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1205	$86,250.00	HUGE J. DICKSON FOUR BORE HAMMER SHOTGUN MADE FOR CHARLES GORDON, WITH ORIGINAL CASE, LEATHER OUTER COVER, AND ACCESSORIES. SN 4234. Cal. 4 Bore. 4″ Chambers. Massive 42″ dovetailed steel barrels are engraved “John Dickson & Son. 63 Princes Street. Edinburgh.” on broad flat raised rib with dolls head extension. Bbl flats are stamped with orig London proofs and 1988 nitro re-proofs at .957″ and 4″ chambers. “J. D & S” and SN are stamped at front of flats. Robust, almost 3″ high, 4-3/4″ long, 3-1/4″ wide, case hardened Jones under lever action has nicely filed fences. 5-1/2″ Down curved peninsula back action locks have rebounding tall serpentine hammers. Action and locks are engraved with about 80% coverage classic small English scroll. “John Dickson & Son” is engraved on both lockplates. Case hardened steel trigger guard is also scroll engraved with SN on grip, which extends to large engraved steel grip cap. Finely marbled, and lightly figured Circassian walnut full capped pistol grip buttstock measures 14-9/16″ over 6-1/2″ high steel buttplate with long scroll engraved top extension. Coarse flat top checkering is mostly borderless, but with curved mullered borders at front ends. A silver oval on toe line is engraved with initials “R. A. H. C”. Fully checkered large splinter forend has shaped steel tip and mounts to bbl with side nail through engraved oval escutcheons with circular extensions. Bore diameter: left-.957, right -.957. Bore restrictions: left – Approx .032, right – Approx .037. Wall thickness: left -.070, right -.068. Drop at heel: 2-5/8″, drop at comb: 1-5/8″. Weight: 22 lbs. 5 oz. LOP 14-9/16″. 45″ Long, 12-1/4″ wide, and 4-1/2″ deep original makers quartered oak case, has pivoting brass hook closures, inlet cyma curved brass corners, round central brass medallion, and D-ring handle on right end. Lid is held by 4 hinges. Case is lined in medium green felt with unusual black, heavy card, gold embossed and edged, John Dickson & Son label. Compartments in bottom are semi-French fitted for action and bbls. Orig accessories are French fitted and include: unmarked, green painted brass and blued steel ebony handled 4 bore roll crimping tool; lacquered brass and ebony shot and powder dippers; horn handled turnscrew; rosewood handled turnscrew; ebony handled off-set striker key; 4 bore broken case extractor; large pewter oil bottle marked “G & J. W. Hawksley”; and turned bone striker bottle containing pair of spare strikers and nipples. An extremely large 2-pc brass and rosewood cleaning rod is in its own compartment. Other compartments contain a pair of nickel-plated snap caps marked “John Dickson & Son” and “4”; an assortment of 3 brass and paper 4-bore cases; brass 4-bore recapper; and a number of mops, turks heads, and brushes for cleaning. Large leather outer cover for case is lined with pillow ticking and has double flap closure secured by three straps, and has provision for 3 straps around body of case, two are present. Top of outer case is embossed “CHARLES GORDON ESQr”. Also included is a 2-pc cardboard box with yellow label for Eley 4-ga cartridges, containing 5 loaded Eley cartridges with red hulls, and 3 with flesh colored hulls marked “Eley Nobel”. PROVENANCE: 1989 factory letter with factory records and Christies auction listing. Cover letter relates that this is one of only two 4-bore Dickson doubles ever made,and “the wildfowl migrating south will have to fly at the same altitude as 747s to avoid the barrage which this monster can hose out.” (This gun is pictured and described on pages 48 – 49 of CHARLES GORDON MAGNIFICENT MADNESS by Donald Dallas.It appears CG ordered this gun as a Christmas present for himself.). CONDITION: Excellent, as partially refinished. Bbls retain nearly all of a London quality re-black, probably done at time of re-proof. Engraving on rib and ends of bbls is slightly washed. All metal parts retain 40 – 50% orig case hardening color, quite vivid in protected areas, but are mostly pewter gray to brown. Buttplate has been re-blued, and retains nearly all of that blue. Stocks retain what appear to be most of their orig finish. Checkering sympathetically re-run. Bores are excellent, bright and shiny throughout, with some very minor frosting at breech ends. Action is tight. Bbls are on face. Locks are crisp. Case is very fine, retaining nearly all its orig finish, with a few minor scrapes and marks, and an incipient 6″ crack on lid. Original interior cloth is fine showing numerous small spots of discoloration to yellow, and minor marks and soiling from contact with gun. Label is very fine, but with dime sized indentation from contact with hammer screw. Accessories for the most part are excellent. Horn handled turnscrew is most probably a replacement as it does not fit compartment well. Green paint on crimping tool is considerably chipped, and blued portions are flaked. Leather outer cover is fine, leather for the most part still light in color, with a number of stains and marks, as would be expected from 150 years of wear and tear. Leather closing straps are intact, but getting tired. One of the banding straps has lost its tongue. A truly exceptional, investment quality, unique gun made for Britain’s most noted eccentric collector. 4-45099 MGM194 (40,000-60,000) Auction: Firearms - Spring 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.

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