*RARE POSSIBLY ONE OF A KIND GIDDINGS DESIGN DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN.

*RARE POSSIBLY ONE OF A KIND GIDDINGS DESIGN DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN. SN NSN. Cal. 12 ga. Unusual combination of features on this well made shotgun by George H. Giddings of Ilion, New York, that incorporates a number of unique design features not found on other shotguns of the early 20th century. It has 28-1/2″ bbls that appear to be orig length choked IMP-CYL/CYL with tapered concave matted rib, a large ivory bead & Ithaca style rib extension. It has an L.C. Smith shaped lug but with the unusual feature of a sliding block that when the forearm is installed articulates a latch toward the rear which engages a lever in bottom of action that when bbls are open serves as cocking piece for hammers. Fitted with an extractor. From outward appearances the receiver looks like an L.C. Smith with 3-pin sidelocks and simple rounded fences with top opening lever & a serrated thumb safety in top tang. It has dbl triggers mounted on an L.C. Smith style trigger plate but instead of the single L.C. Smith screw in front of trigger guard, the trigger plate forms a “T” with a screw at each end giving a much more simple design for reassembly. Lock mechanisms, while resembling an L.C. Smith, are much more simple on the inside having only the sear & a sear spring with a cover and a unique coil spring for the hammers. Mounted with very nicely figured streaky French walnut with very fine checkered L.C. Smith style splinter forearm & pistol grip stock with grip cap & is 14″ over a serrated hard rubber buttplate. Receiver, lockplates & appended metal have full coverage, deep chiseled, foliate arabesque patterns with lockplates having round vignettes of bird dogs in very detailed background scenes. Maker’s name “G.H. GIDDINGS” is also on both lockplates. Bottom of receiver is engraved to match with a fine vignette of three quail in a field scene. Trigger bow is engraved, with stippled background, “DESIGNER / G.H. GIDDINGS / MCH, 12, 1907”. Water table is engraved “G.H. GIDDINGS” on right side & “DESIGN” on left. Right side of water table is also stamped “PATENT PENDING”. Bbls are altogether unmarked. Accompanied by a copy of a 3-page article by James E. Fender that appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2008 issue of Shooting Sportsman. Mr. Fender details Mr. Giddings’ patent of this shotgun but little is known of Mr. Giddings beyond his patents & patent applications, other than that he was probably born in 1879 in Ilion, NY. Mr. Fender reports that Patent No. 1,156,222 was issued on Oct. 12, 1915 to Mr. Giddings with application for letters patent not having been filed until March 2, 1914, seven years after the presumed date of manufacture engraved on this shotgun’s trigger bow. Consignor states that family legend has it that Mr. Giddings was an employee at Remington in Ilion & offered this shotgun designto them but apparently the offer was rejected and nothing further is known of Mr. Giddings or his shotgun. Mr. Fender speculates in his article that if this shotgun had been offered to Remington in the 1907 time frame as possibly indicated on trigger guard, that it is little wonder Remington rejected the offer. At that time they were having financial problems producing the much more simple boxlock Model 1900 and the more costly to produce sidelock design of this shotgun would have caused the company bean counters to reject its production. Bore diameter: left – .719, right – .722. Bore restrictions: left – .010, right – .000. Wall thickness: left – .034, right – .035. Drop at heel: 3-1/4″, drop at comb: 1-7/8″. Weight: 6 lbs. 8.32 oz. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbls retain most of an old restored finish, possibly a hot dip blue. Receiver & lockplates retain about 50% faded case colors, stronger on left side with balance faded to silver. Trigger guard retains 75-80% thinning orig blue. Wood is sound without the L.C. Smith cracks behind lockplates with checkering showing moderate wear and overall retains most of its fine hand rubbed oil finish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bores. Bbls may have been reduced in length but this is not certain as there is no standard by which to judge this shotgun as it is the only one known as of this writing. 4-31697 JR429 (5,000-10,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2008

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
	1493	$5,175.00	RARE POSSIBLY ONE OF A KIND GIDDINGS DESIGN DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN. SN NSN. Cal. 12 ga. Unusual combination of features on this well made shotgun by George H. Giddings of Ilion, New York, that incorporates a number of unique design features not found on other shotguns of the early 20th century. It has 28-1/2″ bbls that appear to be orig length choked IMP-CYL/CYL with tapered concave matted rib, a large ivory bead & Ithaca style rib extension. It has an L.C. Smith shaped lug but with the unusual feature of a sliding block that when the forearm is installed articulates a latch toward the rear which engages a lever in bottom of action that when bbls are open serves as cocking piece for hammers. Fitted with an extractor. From outward appearances the receiver looks like an L.C. Smith with 3-pin sidelocks and simple rounded fences with top opening lever & a serrated thumb safety in top tang. It has dbl triggers mounted on an L.C. Smith style trigger plate but instead of the single L.C. Smith screw in front of trigger guard, the trigger plate forms a “T” with a screw at each end giving a much more simple design for reassembly. Lock mechanisms, while resembling an L.C. Smith, are much more simple on the inside having only the sear & a sear spring with a cover and a unique coil spring for the hammers. Mounted with very nicely figured streaky French walnut with very fine checkered L.C. Smith style splinter forearm & pistol grip stock with grip cap & is 14″ over a serrated hard rubber buttplate. Receiver, lockplates & appended metal have full coverage, deep chiseled, foliate arabesque patterns with lockplates having round vignettes of bird dogs in very detailed background scenes. Maker’s name “G.H. GIDDINGS” is also on both lockplates. Bottom of receiver is engraved to match with a fine vignette of three quail in a field scene. Trigger bow is engraved, with stippled background, “DESIGNER / G.H. GIDDINGS / MCH, 12, 1907”. Water table is engraved “G.H. GIDDINGS” on right side & “DESIGN” on left. Right side of water table is also stamped “PATENT PENDING”. Bbls are altogether unmarked. Accompanied by a copy of a 3-page article by James E. Fender that appeared in the Sept./Oct. 2008 issue of Shooting Sportsman. Mr. Fender details Mr. Giddings’ patent of this shotgun but little is known of Mr. Giddings beyond his patents & patent applications, other than that he was probably born in 1879 in Ilion, NY. Mr. Fender reports that Patent No. 1,156,222 was issued on Oct. 12, 1915 to Mr. Giddings with application for letters patent not having been filed until March 2, 1914, seven years after the presumed date of manufacture engraved on this shotgun’s trigger bow. Consignor states that family legend has it that Mr. Giddings was an employee at Remington in Ilion & offered this shotgun designto them but apparently the offer was rejected and nothing further is known of Mr. Giddings or his shotgun. Mr. Fender speculates in his article that if this shotgun had been offered to Remington in the 1907 time frame as possibly indicated on trigger guard, that it is little wonder Remington rejected the offer. At that time they were having financial problems producing the much more simple boxlock Model 1900 and the more costly to produce sidelock design of this shotgun would have caused the company bean counters to reject its production. Bore diameter: left – .719, right – .722. Bore restrictions: left – .010, right – .000. Wall thickness: left – .034, right – .035. Drop at heel: 3-1/4″, drop at comb: 1-7/8″. Weight: 6 lbs. 8.32 oz. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbls retain most of an old restored finish, possibly a hot dip blue. Receiver & lockplates retain about 50% faded case colors, stronger on left side with balance faded to silver. Trigger guard retains 75-80% thinning orig blue. Wood is sound without the L.C. Smith cracks behind lockplates with checkering showing moderate wear and overall retains most of its fine hand rubbed oil finish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bores. Bbls may have been reduced in length but this is not certain as there is no standard by which to judge this shotgun as it is the only one known as of this writing. 4-31697 JR429 (5,000-10,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2008 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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