*VERY FINE GEORGE GIBBS FARQUHARSON WITH ORIGINAL CASE AND ACCESSORIES, FORMERLY OWNED BY JONATHAN KIRTON.

*VERY FINE GEORGE GIBBS FARQUHARSON WITH ORIGINAL CASE AND ACCESSORIES, FORMERLY OWNED BY JONATHAN KIRTON. SN 20204. Cal. 280 FL. This very late production (patent use no. 973) was the third from last of these iconic rifles produced (This example was made for J. Hamilton Leigh being shipped August 25, 1910). Noted author and single shot researcher, Jonathan Kirton, describes this rifle to great length in his book THE BRITISH FALLING BLOCK BREECH LOADING RIFLE FROM 1865, on pages 136 through 138. He relates details of factory ledger describing the building of this rifle with costs of component parts and work hours performed totaling 678 man hours, not including time spent on engraving. This was the personal rifle of Mr. Kirton, and the first dropping block rifle he owned, spurring his further research and subsequent publication of his extremely informative book, which has run to a second edition. The rifle has 28″ tapered round barrel with sweated-on blocks for one standing, two folding leaf express rear sight with inlaid platinum lines, marked for 100, 300, and 500 yards, and longitudinally dovetailed ivory bead front sight with base fitted with blued steel sight protector. A sling eye is soldered to bottom of bbl. Top of bbl between sight and breech end is engraved “George Gibbs. Bristol.” “& 35 Savile Row. London. W.” Right hand breech end is stamped with Birmingham nitro proofs for 280, and “B 5515”. Case hardened late style action has automatic tang safety. (Tang safeties on Gibbs Farquharson rifles are exceptionally rare, and only found sporadically on the last 30 or so rifles produced.) Action is beautifully filed and engraved with nearly full coverage of very well cut medium scroll. Left side is engraved “George Gibbs.” “Bristol & London”. Receiver ring is engraved “972” (patent use no.). SN is behind trigger housing on blued yoke. Nicely marbled, lightly figured, European walnut full trap steel capped buttstock measures 14-1/2″ over orig Silver pad. Vacant silver oval, sling eye, and Africa registry numbers are on toe line. Left side of stock has had Morocco leather cheek pad installed, affixed with small German silver tacks. (It has been surmised that Mr. Leigh had this pad installed in Kenya during his hunting trip there, as the other rifle he took with him, a Gibbs single shot no. 970 in 450-400 3-1/4 nitro also has this pad (as related in Kirton’s article in the Journal of the Historical Breech Loading Smallarms Assn, volume 3 no. 9, Dec. 2007.) Flat top 22 LPI checkering has mullered borders. Matching small forend attaches to bbl with screw at bottom. Drop at heel: Approx 2-9/16″. Drop at comb: Approx 1-7/8″. Weight: 7 lbs 0 oz. LOP: 14-1/2″. Original makers green canvas case with leather trim and brass corners is lined with burgundy cloth with patterned black leather gold embossed Gibbs label on lid, contains a number of orig accessories including a turned bone bottle marked in India ink on bottom “.280” and “No. 972” containing two spare front sights and retaining screw, along with 3 other spare screws; a leather wallet marked in India ink “.280” and “Farquharson Sporting Rifle No. 972” containing 2 spare firing pins, one with broken tip, mainspring, and link. Other accessories include square plated oil bottle marked “Lightwood” and “Made in England”; one horn handled and another ebony handled turn screw; 2 unmarked 280 snap caps; empty box for Kynoch 280 flanged cartridges, unmarked leather sling with hook swivels, orig case strap, a box of 20 Bertram formed cases for 280 flanged, and a one piece brass cleaning rod with steel swivel head. CONDITION: Excellent. Bbl retains 70 – 80% orig thin blue, silvered considerably from carrying at breech at natural balance point. Action retains 80% orig case hardening color, silvered on high edges, and thinning somewhat. Stocks retain most of their orig oil finish over numerous minor marks, two fairly deep dents on left side of butt near heel. Forend finish is dulled from handling, checkering is slightly worn. Orig pad has solidified, beginning to craze and chip at toe and heel. Bore is excellent, bright and shiny, with sharp rifling throughout. Action is crisp. Case canvas shows many rubs, darkened, with a few stains, leather beginning to chip. New straps are installed. Orig handle is getting tired. Interior cloth is excellent with a few minor rubs and compressions. Label is excellent, as are accessories. 4-45111 MGM193 (15,500-20,500)

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
	1225	$0.00	VERY FINE GEORGE GIBBS FARQUHARSON WITH ORIGINAL CASE AND ACCESSORIES, FORMERLY OWNED BY JONATHAN KIRTON. SN 20204. Cal. 280 FL. This very late production (patent use no. 973) was the third from last of these iconic rifles produced (This example was made for J. Hamilton Leigh being shipped August 25, 1910). Noted author and single shot researcher, Jonathan Kirton, describes this rifle to great length in his book THE BRITISH FALLING BLOCK BREECH LOADING RIFLE FROM 1865, on pages 136 through 138. He relates details of factory ledger describing the building of this rifle with costs of component parts and work hours performed totaling 678 man hours, not including time spent on engraving. This was the personal rifle of Mr. Kirton, and the first dropping block rifle he owned, spurring his further research and subsequent publication of his extremely informative book, which has run to a second edition. The rifle has 28″ tapered round barrel with sweated-on blocks for one standing, two folding leaf express rear sight with inlaid platinum lines, marked for 100, 300, and 500 yards, and longitudinally dovetailed ivory bead front sight with base fitted with blued steel sight protector. A sling eye is soldered to bottom of bbl. Top of bbl between sight and breech end is engraved “George Gibbs. Bristol.” “& 35 Savile Row. London. W.” Right hand breech end is stamped with Birmingham nitro proofs for 280, and “B 5515”. Case hardened late style action has automatic tang safety. (Tang safeties on Gibbs Farquharson rifles are exceptionally rare, and only found sporadically on the last 30 or so rifles produced.) Action is beautifully filed and engraved with nearly full coverage of very well cut medium scroll. Left side is engraved “George Gibbs.” “Bristol & London”. Receiver ring is engraved “972” (patent use no.). SN is behind trigger housing on blued yoke. Nicely marbled, lightly figured, European walnut full trap steel capped buttstock measures 14-1/2″ over orig Silver pad. Vacant silver oval, sling eye, and Africa registry numbers are on toe line. Left side of stock has had Morocco leather cheek pad installed, affixed with small German silver tacks. (It has been surmised that Mr. Leigh had this pad installed in Kenya during his hunting trip there, as the other rifle he took with him, a Gibbs single shot no. 970 in 450-400 3-1/4 nitro also has this pad (as related in Kirton’s article in the Journal of the Historical Breech Loading Smallarms Assn, volume 3 no. 9, Dec. 2007.) Flat top 22 LPI checkering has mullered borders. Matching small forend attaches to bbl with screw at bottom. Drop at heel: Approx 2-9/16″. Drop at comb: Approx 1-7/8″. Weight: 7 lbs 0 oz. LOP: 14-1/2″. Original makers green canvas case with leather trim and brass corners is lined with burgundy cloth with patterned black leather gold embossed Gibbs label on lid, contains a number of orig accessories including a turned bone bottle marked in India ink on bottom “.280” and “No. 972” containing two spare front sights and retaining screw, along with 3 other spare screws; a leather wallet marked in India ink “.280” and “Farquharson Sporting Rifle No. 972” containing 2 spare firing pins, one with broken tip, mainspring, and link. Other accessories include square plated oil bottle marked “Lightwood” and “Made in England”; one horn handled and another ebony handled turn screw; 2 unmarked 280 snap caps; empty box for Kynoch 280 flanged cartridges, unmarked leather sling with hook swivels, orig case strap, a box of 20 Bertram formed cases for 280 flanged, and a one piece brass cleaning rod with steel swivel head. CONDITION: Excellent. Bbl retains 70 – 80% orig thin blue, silvered considerably from carrying at breech at natural balance point. Action retains 80% orig case hardening color, silvered on high edges, and thinning somewhat. Stocks retain most of their orig oil finish over numerous minor marks, two fairly deep dents on left side of butt near heel. Forend finish is dulled from handling, checkering is slightly worn. Orig pad has solidified, beginning to craze and chip at toe and heel. Bore is excellent, bright and shiny, with sharp rifling throughout. Action is crisp. Case canvas shows many rubs, darkened, with a few stains, leather beginning to chip. New straps are installed. Orig handle is getting tired. Interior cloth is excellent with a few minor rubs and compressions. Label is excellent, as are accessories. 4-45111 MGM193 (15,500-20,500) 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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