All that Remains (Pic's)
- Thread starter oberndorf
- Start date
I wondered about that too, the proof marks are proper London and not even Birmingham. The full name and address would have been on the barrel rib.
The value is only nostalgic as it will not be cost effective to do anything with it.
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I was at a gunsmith friend of mine home a couple weeks ago and he put in my hand a Purdey 12 ga bought new last year. #1 of a pair, the pair were purchased last year for 200,000 pounds, plus appropriate taxes from both the British and Canadian governments. That's noth of $300,000 Cdn.
The owner had already damaged this one through misadventure. LOL Nice gun though.
That's a nice keepsake Oberndorf although I too am somewhat suspicious based on the engraved name.
The owner had already damaged this one through misadventure. LOL Nice gun though.
That's a nice keepsake Oberndorf although I too am somewhat suspicious based on the engraved name.
The gun belonged to Nick Makinson (www.nickmakinson.com). He brought it with him from England when he immigrated to Canada many decades ago. The barrels were in poor condition and he hung it over his fireplace as a conversation piece for a long time. He was not a hunter. He was told by police when on a visit to inspect his shop that the gun should be properly stored. He chopped the barrels and threw the action in the bin for parts.
Nick has done a lot of work for me and is also a good friend, so I value it from that perceptive.
Nick has done a lot of work for me and is also a good friend, so I value it from that perceptive.
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That's very cool. A great display piece with a great story.
Seeing that the gun came from Nick, it may well be English manufacture, but I'm still skeptical that it's an actual Purdey. The full address would be on the rib, but the lock plates should be engraved J. Purdey & Son. Any gun retailed in England had to go through the proof house, so London proof marks wouldn't prove that it's not foreign made. Nick could probably tell you what it was if you shoot him an email.
That may be true about the newer guns made in the 1900's but earlier guns were neither marked so or engraved like what we see in modern Purdey's.
Here is an example of a rare 8Ga Purdey weighing 12 lbs.
https://www.vintageguns.co.uk/purdey-8-bore/
We all know that there is no monetary value nevertheless makes for an interesting conversation / learning, I will confirm with Nick as suggested.
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Ashame nick isnt 50 years younger. I called him before xmas about working on 3 shotguns and was told he isnt taking fon any more work. Now im not sure where to take my ithaca 4e trap.
Either way its a nice action either way
Either way its a nice action either way
I thought he was a wood wizard. Didnt know he was a full gun smith
Very little I wouldn't have full confidence asking Chris to do.
----I agree 110 %-----Beautiful work from a very nice man !!----Bent Barrel
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He has my Perazzi for a new forend and rebluing.
Oskar does great work as well. Chris, Oskar and their friends in Quebec can handle just about anything with the highest of quality.
Just my opinion, but I'd have to agree that the gun wasn't made by Purdey, but is marked for Purdey's patent of 1863. The 748 is the use number that was issued when the maker purchased the right to use the patent. Each individual non Purdey gun would have their own use number. A Purdey made gun might have the patent name and number, but no use number since they owned the rights. If 748 was a Purdey serial number it would have been made around 1812. I think the patent lasted 17 years, so this was probably made before 1880 after which they could have copied the patent without buying the right. If you google the Purdey patent of 1863 you'll probably find a few by other makers, Blanche for one, that mention they're made on the Purdey patent under bolt (or bolt) of 1863. Proof mark says English made. A continental knock off wouldn't have paid for the patent rights.
As far as the engraved name goes, most Purdeys of this vintage would have had "James Purdey" engraved on the side plates. My Purdey hammer gun was made in 1877 and just has James Purdey on the plates. The barrel has the name and address, but no "and Sons". Purdey didn't add the "and Sons" until around 1881 or 1882. I don't recall off hand the year. Kind of odd since several generations of sons had already worked with their fathers by then. Some guns that were ordered without or with minimal engraving just had Purdey on them.
It is a nice looking action. I've got a 20 bore Osborne hammer gun action that I use as a paper weight on my desk.
As far as the engraved name goes, most Purdeys of this vintage would have had "James Purdey" engraved on the side plates. My Purdey hammer gun was made in 1877 and just has James Purdey on the plates. The barrel has the name and address, but no "and Sons". Purdey didn't add the "and Sons" until around 1881 or 1882. I don't recall off hand the year. Kind of odd since several generations of sons had already worked with their fathers by then. Some guns that were ordered without or with minimal engraving just had Purdey on them.
It is a nice looking action. I've got a 20 bore Osborne hammer gun action that I use as a paper weight on my desk.
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I would agree with North of 58, this is an English gun by an unknown maker using the Purdey s Patent under licence, 748 is the patent use number that they were required to stamp on the gun. The maker's name and address would be on the top rib which is missing. Another clue is the lock interiors, the polishing here is not up to Purdey standards, there would be no tool marks, every part would be smooth as glass. A gun like this could have been made by anyone who was prepared to pay whatever patent use fee Purdey charged and a great many were made under licence, making Purdey very wealthy. Because of the added cost of the licence fee such a gun would not have been at the lower end of the market, many were very fine guns in their own right but seldom to the Purdey standard. Very nice desk ornament!
