Product Details
JOHN DICKSON & SON
A PAIR OF 12-BORE 1887 PATENT 'ROUND ACTION' TRIGGERPLATE-ACTION EJECTORS, serial no. 7456 / 7,
28in. nitro chopperlump barrels (No.1 barrels replacements by the makers), ribs engraved 'JOHN DICKSON & SON. (INCORPORATING MORTIMER & SON). EDINBURGH' and gold-inlaid '1' and '2' at the breech ends, 21/2in. chambers, bored approx. 1/4 and 1/2 choke (No.1) and 1/4 and imp. cyl. choke (No.2), No.2 barrels with right wall thickness below recommended minimum, Dickson patent round-actions incorporating patents 9399 and 10621 of 1887, use numbers 1866 and 1867, toplevers gold-inlaid '1' and '2', automatic safeties with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' details, actions and furniture engraved with fine acanthus scrollwork and floral bouquets, the undersides gold-inlaid 'DICKSON'S PATENT', retaining traces of original colour-hardening, No.2 with some light external rusting, 14 3/4in. well-figured stocks, weight 6lb. 8oz. (No.1) and 6lb. 3oz. (No.2), in their brass-cornered oak-lined leather case with Mortimer & Son trade label
Provenance: The makers have kindly confirmed that the guns were completed in 1944 with 28in. barrels for a Major Fotheringham, at a cost of £300. New barrels were fitted on gun 7456 on the 7th June 1948 due to rivelling of the originals.
We are kindly informed by the family that the Major Fothringham referred to is Major Thomas Steuart Fothringham M.C., (1907 - 1979) of the Black Watch.
Educated at Wellington and Trinity College Cambridge, he qualified as an architect in 1932 and returned to Scotland to set up in practice. His entry in the Dictionary of Scottish architects charmingly refers to him as follows;
"While he had the ability and his family connections doubtless brought business to the firm, it was recalled that his shooting, golfing and social commitments made his attendance at the office somewhat intermittent"
It would appear that in the early 1930's that motor racing was an additional past time he was keenly involved in, with his name appearing on several race result listings at Brooklands and the Ards TT races, racing Bugatti's and Bentley's and competing against racing legends such as Tazio Nuvolari and Norman Black.
After the War, he became a County Councillor in 1946 and a Deputy Lieutenant in 1951. Shooting and golf remained his major passions in life, he was Captain of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club 1967/8. He passed away on the golf course at Edzell on the 9th September 1979.
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Estimate £8,000-12,000
S2