Product Details
WESTLEY RICHARDS
A SCARCE 16-BORE 1864 PATENT SINGLE-BITE SNAP-ACTION TOPLEVER BAR-IN-WOOD HAMMERGUN, serial no. 9972,
likely conversion from pinfire, 30in. black powder bold damascus barrels with bold acanthus scroll engraving at the breech end (two sets of Birmingham proof marks and barrels and extractor with number 12378), rib faintly engraved 'WESTLEY RICHARDS. 170. NEW BOND ST. LONDON.', and 'PATENT', 2 1/2in. chambers, bored approx. true cyl. both, incorporating Westley Richards improved 1862 patent single-bite toplever snap-action, patent no. 2623 of 22th October 1864, carved serpentine fences, rebounding sidelocks with dolphin hammers, bar-in-wood, the fore-end meeting at the knuckle in a crab joint, bold acanthus scroll engraving, retaining very slight traces of original colour-hardening, 14 1/4in. figured stock including buttplate, fore-end wood (numbered inside 9972) with Deeley & Edge 1873 patent release catch, weight 6lb. 7oz., in its lightweight leather case with full complement of trade and instruction labels, the serial no. suggests a completion date circa 1862 although research indicates that the shotgun was subsequently re-barrelled by the makers circa 1866.
Estimate £300-500
S2