Product Details
J. PURDEY & SONS
A PAIR OF 12-BORE SELF-OPENING SIDELOCK EJECTORS, serial no. 22413 / 4,
29in. nitro reproved chopperlump barrels, ribs engraved 'J. PURDEY & SONS. AUDLEY HOUSE, SOUTH AUDLEY STREET. LONDON. MADE OF SIR JOSEPH WHITWORTH'S FLUID PRESSED STEEL.', and gold-inlaid '1' and '2', 2 3/4in. chambers, bored approx. 1/4 and 3/4 choke, toplevers gold-inlaid '1' and '2', automatic safeties with gold-inlaid 'SAFE' details, removable striker discs, cocking-indicators, best bouquet and scroll engraving, retaining virtually full renewed colour-hardening and finish, 14 7/8in. figured stocks including 1in. leather covered recoil pads, weight 6lb. 9oz., in their brass-cornered oak and leather case with some accessories
Provenance: The makers have kindly informed us that this pair of shotguns were completed May 1923 for Sir Raymond Dennis.
Sir Herbert Raymond Dennis was born 1878, the fourth son of W.H. Dennis of Devonshire. He was made K.B.E. in 1920 and eight years later married Sybil Margaret Llewellyn. A keen and talented racing driver, he took part in some of the very earliest events at Brooklands in a motor car developed with his brother. Amongst these was the 5th Open Meeting held at the circuit in October 1907, with the Dennis car campaigning in the Private Stakes which had an entry fee of 7 1/2 Sovereigns. Three cars were entered and the results are worthy of repetition here.
"3.40.-PRIVATE STAKES of 7.5 sovs. each. (The entrant of the winner to receive a silver cup and 15 sovs., and the entrant of the second to save his stake.) Entrance, 7.5 sovs. Weight, 2,700 lbs. Distance, about 5.25 miles.
Lieut.-Col. C. D. Carleton-Smith's 38.4 h.p. NAPIER, 2,930 lbs. . . H. C. TRYON 1
Capt. G. Ll. Hinds-Howell's 40 h.p. IRIS, 2,709 lbs. . . A. Clifford Earp 2
Mr. J. C. Dennis's 35.7 h.p. Dennis, 2,700 lbs. . . R. Dennis 0
The winner's average speed was 73 m.p.h.
The Iris was quickest away, although the Napier was first at the bend. The Dennis seemed to start very slow, and lost much ground in the first half-mile. The Napier and Iris ran for the whole distance practically locked together, but coming up the finishing straight the Napier seemed to have a lead of fifteen to twenty yards. Fifty yards from the finishing line the Iris put on a magnificent spurt for about twenty yards, which reminded us of that which the Napier put on against the Iris at it previous meeting. The effort, however, was not sustained, and the Napier won by a short length. This was the most exciting race of the day, and created great enthusiasm among the spectators. The Dennis finished half a mile behind, pulling up with a leaky petrol pipe."
His brother, John Dennis, had gone into business in 1885 building bicycles and in 1898 took his younger brother into partnership. By this time the company were also producing their own motorcycles but brought out a commercial vehicle in 1904 that founded their reputation as an innovative builder of quality lorries and coaches.
Estimate £15,000-18,000
S2