Product Details
J. PURDEY
A .450 (3 1/4IN.) BLACK POWDER EXPRESS ROTARY-UNDERLEVER SINGLE-BARRELLED HAMMER RIFLE, serial no. 9223,
28 1/4in. black powder only octagonal bold damascus barrel engraved 'J. PURDEY. 314 1/2 OXFORD STREET. LONDON.', open sights and two folding leaf sights, bead fore-sight, carved percussion fence, rebounding island lock with bolted dolphin hammer, triggerguard forming a rotary-underlever with chequered skeletal pistolgrip and loop with integral trigger bolting catch, Purdey patent no. 3118 of 28th November 1870 (at fault), fine border and acanthus scroll engraving, retaining very slight traces of original colour-hardening, 14in. highly-figured stock with cheekpiece, weight 7lb. 2oz.
Provenance: The makers have kindly confirmed that the rifle was completed in July 1874 for a Lady Stamford.
The Lady Stamford to whom the makers refer is almost certainly Catherine Cocks. She was the second wife of George Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford. The marriage raised eyebrows amongst his peers as his chosen wife was a bareback rider in a travelling circus. Grey built Bradgate House for his family in Staffordshire in 1856 and donated 16 acres of ground to the local authority to form a public space (now Stamford Park).
Estimate £2,500-3,500