SPECTACULAR RARE CASED UNDERLEVER PURDEY DBL RIFLE.

SPECTACULAR RARE CASED UNDERLEVER PURDEY DBL RIFLE. Cal. 450. SN 7901. Wonderful early Purdey with 29-1/2″ Damascus bbls with flat smooth rib, caterpillar style front sight & 4-leaf, platinum line, express, rear sight (1 standing, 3 folding) marked “100”, “200”, “250” & “300”. Maker’s name & address of 314-1/2 Oxford Street, London is on the rib between the sights. It is mounted in very highly figured burl, marbled, Circassian walnut with full-checkered splinter forearm with sgl wedge & straight stock with cheek piece, 14-3/8″ over a checkered steel buttplate. Round receiver & back action lockplates, along with all the fittings, are beautifully engraved in extremely fine foliate arabesque patterns with about 50-60% coverage. Locks have stalking safeties and it has very long top & bottom tangs with the opening lever serving as a finger rest. Stock & bbls have sling eyes. Accompanied by its orig red felt lined oak case with brass bull’s eye lifting handle in the lid and the maker’s label inside the lid. Bottom is compartmented for the rifle, a brass nutcracker style bullet mold with iron sprue cutter with inserts for square base & hollow base bullets. Also accompanied by a Dixon ebony handled powder measure, a 2-pc ebony cleaning rod with short handle for chamber brush, a Dixon ebony handled brush with cover, a sling, a pewter oil bottle & other cleaning tools. It also has an ebony wad rammer on a base. In addition it has orig, very rare, little cards that give instructions for each of the tools. Also included is the orig owner’s instruction manual titled, DIRECTIONS FOR PURDEY’S CENTRAL-FIRE BREECH-LOADING RIFLES and is dated “1868” with the orig serial number penned onto the front page. There is a piece of paper included, which indicates date of manufacture as 1869. The maker’s label in the lid, in addition to loading information, is inscribed “E.A.Le.G. Starkie / Co. E 3rd Battion / Huntroyde / East Laucs Reg. Padiham Lanc’s”. It also has “Arthur’s Club / S James / London”. Also accompanied by a letter from Purdey’s stating that this rifle is a 60 bore completed in 1869 for Capt. Starkie and lists the dimensions. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbls retain about 95% strong orig brown Damascus pattern. Receiver, lockplates & hammers retain most of their subtle orig case colors, slightly faded on right side of the receiver & back edge of the lockplates. Under lever retains about 60% case colors. Wood is sound showing light wear with minor nicks & scratches & retains about all of its orig finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bores. Case & accessories are equally fine. 4-55315 JR598 (8,000-15,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2005

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
	4334	$21,850.00	SPECTACULAR RARE CASED UNDERLEVER PURDEY DBL RIFLE. Cal. 450. SN 7901. Wonderful early Purdey with 29-1/2″ Damascus bbls with flat smooth rib, caterpillar style front sight & 4-leaf, platinum line, express, rear sight (1 standing, 3 folding) marked “100”, “200”, “250” & “300”. Maker’s name & address of 314-1/2 Oxford Street, London is on the rib between the sights. It is mounted in very highly figured burl, marbled, Circassian walnut with full-checkered splinter forearm with sgl wedge & straight stock with cheek piece, 14-3/8″ over a checkered steel buttplate. Round receiver & back action lockplates, along with all the fittings, are beautifully engraved in extremely fine foliate arabesque patterns with about 50-60% coverage. Locks have stalking safeties and it has very long top & bottom tangs with the opening lever serving as a finger rest. Stock & bbls have sling eyes. Accompanied by its orig red felt lined oak case with brass bull’s eye lifting handle in the lid and the maker’s label inside the lid. Bottom is compartmented for the rifle, a brass nutcracker style bullet mold with iron sprue cutter with inserts for square base & hollow base bullets. Also accompanied by a Dixon ebony handled powder measure, a 2-pc ebony cleaning rod with short handle for chamber brush, a Dixon ebony handled brush with cover, a sling, a pewter oil bottle & other cleaning tools. It also has an ebony wad rammer on a base. In addition it has orig, very rare, little cards that give instructions for each of the tools. Also included is the orig owner’s instruction manual titled, DIRECTIONS FOR PURDEY’S CENTRAL-FIRE BREECH-LOADING RIFLES and is dated “1868” with the orig serial number penned onto the front page. There is a piece of paper included, which indicates date of manufacture as 1869. The maker’s label in the lid, in addition to loading information, is inscribed “E.A.Le.G. Starkie / Co. E 3rd Battion / Huntroyde / East Laucs Reg. Padiham Lanc’s”. It also has “Arthur’s Club / S James / London”. Also accompanied by a letter from Purdey’s stating that this rifle is a 60 bore completed in 1869 for Capt. Starkie and lists the dimensions. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbls retain about 95% strong orig brown Damascus pattern. Receiver, lockplates & hammers retain most of their subtle orig case colors, slightly faded on right side of the receiver & back edge of the lockplates. Under lever retains about 60% case colors. Wood is sound showing light wear with minor nicks & scratches & retains about all of its orig finish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bores. Case & accessories are equally fine. 4-55315 JR598 (8,000-15,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2005 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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