OK – here’s a late one. Carol Watson’s Orange Coast Auctions is having a sale today, January 25. There are bunch of good looking doubles coming up, everything from Purdeys & Francottes to American stuff. The auction starts at 10 am – Pacific time. So if you jump on it now, you should be able to get some bids in.
Lot 446: Francotte Pre-War VL&D mkd 20g Boxlock SxS Shotgun: #36563, 20 ga., 26” matte game rib blue barrels choked IC/Cyl. with one steel bead, tightly banknote and foliate engraved, case hardened boxlock frame, auto thumb safety with gold inlaid ”S” to upper portion, single select trigger, auto ejectors, Greener crossbolt safety, checkered Prince of Wales pistol-grip walnut stock and forend, with Pachmayr Old English butt pad with black spacer. Gold ovoid plaque to bottom of stock with initials ”EWB”. In more modern Brady shotgun case. Condition is excellent. Barrels retain approx. 80% original blue with thinning to both left and right tubes between recoil shield and top of forend. Case colors have thinned and silvered yet still retain approx. 40%. Checkering remains sharp. Action is crisp, bores are bright. Length of pull to end of wood: 13”; 13-1/2” to end of pad. Est.: $3,500-$5,000.
Lot 453: Parker 12g VHE Grade SxS Shotgun, 32″ bbls: #172765, 12 ga., 32” blue barrels choked Full/Full, game rib with double ivory bead, case hardened frame, ejectors, checkered straight walnut stock and splinter forend, with later added black Pachmayr butt pad. Mfg’d 1917. Condition is excellent. Barrels retain approx. 98%+ inky blue and may have been redone at one point. Frame with 20%-30% vivid case hardened hues in protected areas. Checkering is crisp and stock exhibits some very minor refreshing. Action is crisp, bores are bright. Length of pull to end of wood: 13-5/16”; 14-1/4” to end of pad. Est.: $3,500-$5,000.
Lot 459: Parker 16g CHE Grade SxS Shotgun: #148460, 16 ga., 28” game rib barrels choked Full/Mod., engraved game scene case hardened frame, double triggers, ejectors, manual safety, select imported pistol-grip checkered walnut stock with splinter forend and silver ovoid marked ”From Westminster Gun Club to WRL” to bottom of stock just forward of toe area. Originally mfg’d in 1908. Watertable marked with patent dates, and ”CH/148460/4”; central barrel lug marked ”1” for frame size; bottom of right barrel marked ”(clrcle)/A/3/8”. Condition is about fine. Barrels retain approx. 94% what appears to be original lightly thinning and toning blue. Engraved case hardened frame retains approx. 30% case colored hues mostly in protected areas, with sides and bottom of frame toning a silvery gray. Stock remains in very good condition with moderate flattening to checks, light scuffs and pressure dings, with later added red rubber butt pad. Wear to forend is slightly more pronounced. Action is smooth and fine, bores are bright. Length of pull to end of stock: 13-3/8”; 14-1/8” to end of pad; 1-9/16” drop at comb; 2-1/2” drop at heel. Est.: $10,000-$15,000.
Lot 460: Parker 12g BHE Grade SxS Shotgun: #127771, 12 ga., 30” game rib barrels choked Mod./Mod., engraved game scene case hardened frame, double triggers, ejectors, select import straight grip checkered walnut stock with splinter forend and gold ovoid to bottom of stock just forward of toe area. Originally mfg’d in 1904. Watertable marked with patent dates, and ”5/127771/B”; central barrel lug marked ”2” for frame size; bottom of right barrel marked ”K” and ”4/5”. Condition is fine to near excellent. Barrels retain approx. 96%+ original lightly thinning blue with one small clean spot to left tube. Engraved case hardened frame retains approx. 85% lightly thinning colors with most of the losses at balance point and triggerguard tang. Stock remains in very good condition with light scuffs, moderate impressions, slight flattening to checks, and modified with a red rubber butt pad. Action is smooth and fine, bores are bright. Length of pull to end of stock: 13-1/4”; 14-1/4” to end of pad; 1-9/16” drop at comb; 2-1/2” drop at heel. Stock appears to have neutral cast. Est.: $18,000-$24,000.
Lot 463: Boss & Co. Best Quality 20g SxS Sidelock Shotgun: #6656, 20 ga., 28” smooth ribbed blue barrels choked IC/Cyl., chamber depth of 2-5/8”, single bright bead sight, tight scroll and rosette engraved case-hardened sidelock frame, with gold-inlaid cocking indicators and safety markings, auto safety and ejectors, highly figured checkered straight walnut pistol-grip stock with teardrop flats and splinter forend, with original leather butt pad. Top of rib marked ”Boss & Co. 15, Dover Street, Picadilly, London, England”. Mfg’d 1920. Condition is excellent. Barrels appear to have been re-blackened at one point. Frame and sideplates retain approx. 90%+ case hardened hues. Stock is excellent with fine tight checkering. Action is crisp, bores are bright. In original leather-covered oak case with large format Boss label, original snap caps and oiler, and initials ”WCP” embossed to top; case shows scuffs, scratches, and some staining. Length of pull to end of wood: 13-5/8”; 14-1/2” to end of pad. Drop at comb: 1-1/2”; drop at heel: 2-1/4”. Est.: $30,000-$50,000.
Lot 465: Best Quality James Purdey & Sons 12g SxS Sidelock Shotgun: #23153, 12 ga., 30” matted game rib barrels choked IC/IC with 2-3/4” chambers, case hardened banknote and rosette engraved frame and sideplates, finely checkered English straight-grip walnut stock with splinter forend, and later added red rubber butt pad. Top of barrel marked ”J. Purdey & Sons, Audley House, South Audley Street, London”, and ”Made of Sir Joseph Whitworth’s Fluid Pressed Steel”. White ivory front bead, double triggers, manual safety with ejectors, cocking indicators, and ovoid plaque at bottom of stock. Mfg’d 1925, with only 97 produced that year. Condition is excellent. Barrels retain approx. 97%+ English rust type blue. Case hardened frame and sideplates show 92% vivid case colors, with the balance point toning and silvering slightly. Stock and forend appear to be refreshed somewhat, with forend checkering being of a slightly coarser pattern. Stock with only light marks from handling. Action remains crisp, bores are bright. Length of pull to end of wood: 13-5/8”; 14-1/2” to end of pad. Stock with very minor right-hand cast-off. Drop at heel 2-1/8”; drop at comb 1-5/8”. Est.: $20,000-$30,000.
Lot 466: Francotte 20g Abercrombie & Fitch mkd SxS Shotgun: #88627, 20 ga., 26” matte game rib blue barrels choked Imp./Mod., case hardened boxlock frame with sideplates, gold-inlaid ”S” at auto safety, auto ejectors, Prince of Wales grip with checkered walnut stock and splinter forend, with red Old English butt pad. Barrels marked ”Abercrombie & Fitch Co., U.S. Agents New York”. In what appears to be its original Abercrombie & Fitch marked brown leather burgundy-lined case, with two A&F 20 ga. snap caps, and original hang tag with specifications, including weight (5.5 lbs.), drop: 2-1/2-1-1/2-14-3/8”; chamber length 2-3/4”; with existing length of pull now 14-5/8” . Condition is fine to near excellent. Barrel assembly shows only minor thinning, with minor thinning at balance points of frame. Case hardened frame and sideplates retain approx. 80% silvering tones. Stock with light to moderate flattening to checks and minor scuffs from handling. Est.: $4,000-$6,000.
Lot 468: Francotte 20g SxS Shotgun: #3218, 20 ga., 27” matte game rib blue barrels choked Full/Mod., case hardened boxlock lightly engraved with hunting dogs and game scenes, straight-grain checkered oil-finished English walnut stock with red Pachmayr butt pad and splinter forend. Condition is excellent, appearing new and unfired, with only light marks from handling. Nicely presented in a contemporary suede-lined Italian leather case. Length of pull to end of pad: 14-3/4”. Est.: $4,000-$6,000
Lot 472: Win.-Parker Repro. 28g DHE Grade 2-Bbl SxS Shotgun: #28-3259, 28 ga., 26” game rib blue matte barrels choked IC/Cyl.; and 28” game rib blue matte barrels choked Full/Mod.; roll-engraved game scene case-hardened boxlock frame, checkered straight-grip fancy walnut stock with engraved steel skeleton buttplate and splinter forend. All features are standard to this model, including auto safety, auto ejectors, single brass bead front sight, and double triggers. Condition is excellent, appearing new and unfired, in original leather case, with Parker marked snap cap, instructions, and warranty card. (For purpose of photography, the original dried factory grease was removed from the exterior barrel assemblies.) Length of pull: 14-3/4”. Est.: $4,000-$6,000.
