Product Details
PURDEY
A .500 / .450 NO.1 EXPRESS BLACK POWDER ROTARY-UNDERLEVER DOUBLE-BARRELLED HAMMER RIFLE, serial no. 8652,
27in. black powder only barrels with raised matt rib with panel signed 'DANL. FRASER & COY. 4 LEITH ST. TERRACE. EDINBURGH.', open sights and folding leaf sight, bead fore-sight with flip-up moonsight, barrel flats with London proof marks and numbered 1936, carved percussion fences with side-clips, rebounding island locks with bolted dolphin hammers, partially replaced topstrap with folding adjustable peep-sight, triggerguard forming a rotary-underlever with chequered skeletal pistolgrip and loop with integral trigger bolting catch, Purdey patent no. 3118 of 28th November 1870, fine border and acanthus scroll engraving, retaining very slight traces of original colour-hardening, 14 5/8in. stock with cheekpiece, sling eyes, escutcheon inscribed 'EM FROM DCM 1872', and including 7/8in. distressed rubber recoil pad
Provenance: The makers have kindly informed us that this rifle was completed July 1872 with 40-bore 29in. rifle barrels for Sir Dudley Marjoribanks.
This Lot was the subject of a published article by the vendor, John Ormiston, entitled 'The Return of the Purdey' (a copy of which accompanies the Lot and can be viewed HERE ). An extract of the article reads:
"James Purdey & Sons records confirm that the engraving on the escutcheon does indeed refer to Edward Marjoribanks and his father Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks, and that it was given by Sir Dudley to his son in 1872. It was the year in which Edward became engaged to Fanny Spencer-Churchill, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and eventually aunt to Sir Winston Churchill.
"Having been the tenant of both Guisachan and Glen Affaric deer forests near Cannich in Inverness-shire for some years, Dudley Marjoribanks bought Guisachan from the Frasers of Culbokie in 1854. He immediately undertook many improvements building Guisachan House and the model village of Tomich to house the crofting community of the Glen.
"In 1866 he was raised to the peerage and took the title Baron Tweedmouth and he and many of the aristocracy of the day spent part or all of 'the season' at Guisachan."
The vendor was able to buy the rifle in 1974 and it would appear that it has spent all its life in Scotland. A plan was hatched that saw John Ormiston take the rifle stalking on the same land where it had been used by the original owner. Wearing period clothing, he and Malcolm MacArthy, the stalker at Wester Guisachan, took to the hills with the Purdey. After several stalks where the pair were unable to approach closely enough, John was able to take a fine stag using a load specially prepared for the rifle. The beast was recovered by pony in the company of several deerhounds. A delightful sight it must have been!... Full details may be gleaned from the article.
Estimate £7,000-9,000