The Gun Case Thread

Can anyone recommend a decent alternative to wool baize for a case restoration?
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I purchased something similar a few years ago at FabricLand, it was very similar and of very nice quality but it is a synthetic, don't know what kind but it worked well. Not much help, but you might find something usefull there. You will actually need to physically go into the store, I took my wife for guidance and support. And it cost me, as usual.
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I'll have to put this project on hold for now and then head out to the store when life is back to normal. I to will need to take my wife for guidance and support.
 
Just a thought, if you do not find something suitable at Fabricland, pool table felt may work for you and comes in many colors.
 
Here's a gun room case for a percussion 14 bore sxs, gun date of manufacture 1844. Still in fine shooting condition and case not bad either although relined with a flocked wool felt and wood bottom replaced at some point.
Anyone care to speculate on the woods employed? My thought is mahogany, ebony, curly maple.
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I agree with your speculation of wood type but the thin light colored strips might be something else. I'm not sure what, possibly just lighter colored maple.

Interesting wood on the Purdey and the gun looks to be in really nice condition! Do you think the wood has been refinished or is original?
 
Falconflyer said:
I agree with your speculation of wood type but the thin light colored strips might be something else. I'm not sure what, possibly just lighter colored maple.

Interesting wood on the Purdey and the gun looks to be in really nice condition! Do you think the wood has been refinished or is original?
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Yes, the gun is close to pristine condition and bores are excellent. I believe it was a safe queen for close to 180 years as even the screws on the steel butt plate (where there should be wear from use) look to have rarely met the ground. With barrels removed, the forward part of the stock has delicate crisp edges showing very minimal wear and no evidence of repair.
The walnut has small inclusions like tiny birds' eyes and must have had top up coats of oil finish sometime but I don't believe stripped or otherwise the tang and sideplates would be proud of the wood beyond just what would be expected from shrinkage. The checkering is of the flat top style of the period.
As to the main case, I "guess" its oak but has the more open grain of mahogany but not red like you expect mahogany to be. Just not that familiar with what flat-sawn English oak from 200 years ago should look like, I guess, but there are no rays evident.
 
Mahogany was the preferred material for cases at this time and varies in colour depending on the original stain used, wear, age & handling, waxing, oiling. This case does look like mahogany to me. The center portion looks like figured maple, and the dark portion is probably ebony. All of these woods would have been imported, the maple possibly from Canada. There was a very brisk trade to Britain and european countries in exotic wood, mostly to feed the demand for high end furniture. Great case, great gun. Pictures of the exterior?
 
Londonshooter said:
Yes, the gun is close to pristine condition and bores are excellent. I believe it was a safe queen for close to 180 years as even the screws on the steel butt plate (where there should be wear from use) look to have rarely met the ground. With barrels removed, the forward part of the stock has delicate crisp edges showing very minimal wear and no evidence of repair.
The walnut has small inclusions like tiny birds' eyes and must have had top up coats of oil finish sometime but I don't believe stripped or otherwise the tang and sideplates would be proud of the wood beyond just what would be expected from shrinkage. The checkering is of the flat top style of the period.
As to the main case, I "guess" its oak but has the more open grain of mahogany but not red like you expect mahogany to be. Just not that familiar with what flat-sawn English oak from 200 years ago should look like, I guess, but there are no rays evident.
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wow great case and not even talking about the shotgun wow. thank you very much for showing it.
 
Thanks for the comments.
Pre-pandemic, I had tentative plans of sending this Purdey to the Nationals in Friendship, Indiana (with an eye to making a deal in USD). Sorry if that's unpatriotic. I have a lovely 10 gauge percussion sxs by a provincial maker that I reach for rather than this one when I have the urge to shoot a front-stuffer.
As far as cases, I guess just have one more to show in this thread.
 
A very special case, vintage 1934-1954? It has a tooled three letter monogram on the front which does not match any of Westley Richards' records and a maker's monogram on the rear for Jekyll & Hide Custom Leather. Research told me that this was a company making and marketing very high grade leather goods, mainly luggage and they had an outlet in about 1/2 dozen major cities throughout the world. When I contacted them perhaps ten years ago they replied that they no longer make gun cases and have no records of anything like this. Similarly, Westley Richards had no knowledge of this company.
The gun this case was fitted for needed a new case in 1934 when an additional set of barrels was fitted, the suitably aged label is correct for this time period as well so I lean towards the earlier date. The JHC Toronto leather label is a later addition, probably from the 1950's - 60's. As you can see, it still contains a full complement of accessories. Original two gun cases are somewhat plentiful but two barrel cases are very hard to find so I was really fortunate that this fine gun still had it's terrific case.
 

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Thanks Canvasback, it may be unique, I've never even seen a photo of one like it. I'm looking for a big case for a big gun, if anybody can help me it would sure be appreciated. I need it to fit my Westley Richards 10 bore with 32" barrels and of course it also has a doll's head so I need at least 33" inside minimum. A rebuildable project would be fine. Every fine gun deserves it's own case.
 
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