Product Details
'K.H. WARD'
A 12-BORE TOPLEVER HAMMERGUN, serial no. 13928,
30in. nitro reproved barrels, rib gold-inlaid 'KEN WARD GAMEKEEPER RAGLEY', 2 3/4in. chambers, bored approx. full choke in both, treble-grip action, carved percussion fences, rebounding sidelocks, bold acanthus scroll engraving, retaining virtually full colour-hardening and finish, the action bar gold-inlaid 'K H WARD', 14 1/2in. highly-figured stock with scroll-engraved and colour-hardened heel and toe plates, gold escutcheon engraved with scrollwork and the monogram 'KHW', Anson push-rod fore-end release catch, weight 6lb. 12oz., in a lightweight Brady canvas case
Provenance: Kenneth Ward, the vendor, held the tenure of Head Keeper at Ragley Hall from 1967 - 1994 and was much respected and admired both by his seniors and peers. He had long admired English shotguns and particularly wanted a good hammergun in the style of one used by his grandfather. He mentioned this to an acquaintance of long standing, Brian Ebbs, who hatched a plan to enable Ward to have the gun he had always wanted.
Ebbs knew of a hammergun that was barrelled and in-the-white which dated from the 1930s and had sat un-noticed in the workshops of W.W. Greener for a great deal of time. Ebbs secured the hammergun and together with the gunsmith Malcolm Croxton, completed the stocking, engraving and finishing work. Ward knew vague details of the hammergun but not the style it was being finished in, and he recalls voicing his concerns that a gun such as this would be financially beyond him. Ebbs brushed away his misgivings and the hammergun was presented to Ward on the occasion of his retirement from full-time keepering in 1994 at the age of 65.
It is clear that the vendor has cherished what is an unusual piece; for a shotgun to stand for such a long period in-the-white before being completed is unusual. Now, at the age of 81, he has decided that the time has come to place it for sale.
Literature: The lot is accompanied by a book entitled "One Man's Estate, The Preservation of an English Inheritance" which documents the history of Ragley and includes mention of the vendor and the estate's sporting interests.
Estimate £1,500-2,000
S2