Product Details
CHARLES LANCASTER, LONDON
A FINE AND RARE 4-BORE TUBELOCK SINGLE-BARRELLED LIVE PIGEON GUN, serial no. 1675,
circa 1849, with browned, tapering round 35in. twist-steel barrel, the short sighting flat at breech engraved with the initials 'C. W. L.' within a garter bearing the motto 'AUT CASAR AUT NULLUS' (either first or nowhere), bead fore-sight, hooked stepped breech-block with silver poincon embossed with 'CHARLES LANCASTER LONDON' and best scroll engraving, platinum line, best scroll engraved top-tang, slightly curved border and scroll engraved lockplate signed 'C. LANCASTER, 151 NEW BOND ST.', scroll engraved hammer with patent tubelock nose, sprung 'tongs' to hold the percussion tube in place, figured, chequered walnut half-stock, leather cheek-pad inlet to left hand side of comb (worn), iron heel-plate, vacant oval escutcheon to underside, scroll engraved lower tang with raised borders, hunting dogs engraved to trigger-guard bow, pineapple finial, horn fore-end tip and no provision for ramrod (traces of colour throughout)
Provenance: Popular opinion is that this pigeon gun was made for and used by Charles Lancaster himself and it bears his personal motto. An old paper label attached to the trigger-guard reads "4 bore tubelock by C. Lancaster, London No. 1675 1843 - (note, Lancaster records state approximately 1849) - pigeon gun. This gun is thought to have been C. W. Lancaster personal gun and bears the monogram C. W. L. & the motto 'first or nowhere' on the barrel"
Estimate £7,000-9,000