WOODWARD 12 BORE UNDER & OVER - MADE in 1933 - 27" BARRELS - IMP.CYL. & MOD. - 2 1/2" - Super Wood - Double Triggers - 1 1/8 Ounce Proof - 6 Lbs. 10 Oz. - 14 7/8" over a Checkered Butt - Nice ///// #7018, James Woodward & Sons, 64 St. James's Street, London, England 12 Bore Sidelock Under & Over Game Gun Made in 1933 under Patent #4986 of February 1913. This gun with 27" Solid Matt Rib Barrels at .732 .009 & .023 (Imp.Cyl. & Mod.), 2 1/2" chambers, 1 1/8 ounce proof, Double triggers, Game forend with carved shoulders ahead of the receiver knuckle, Straight hand stock at 14 7/8 x 1 3/8 x 2 1/4" over a full checkered butt, Neutral stock for the right or left hand, 6 lbs.10 oz., The barrels very professionally re-blacked, All barrel legends remain sharp and crisp, Retains 35% original case colors and the balance of the frame with a un-brushed patina, An extremely nice piece of European Walnut with great color and contrast, The butt forend are in 95% condition and the checkering at 94-95%, It is cased in a brass cornered leather trunk case with 3 proper and period trade labels with a few accessories. This is a nice game gun that remains in very nice mechanical condition. Purdey bought Woodward in 1948 as this Woodward O/U system certainly was no small part in their acquiring the name, goodwill and the rights to manufacture the best system available, with all due respect to the great Boss O/U. Purdey did not build an O/U from 1940 to 1950 and now they had the design that launched the great Purdey O/U that is built to this day. This is from a Purdey Catalog: "Purdey have acquired the world-famous business of James Woodward, makers of the Woodward O/U gun which has proved so successful that it may be considered the finest O/U gun that has ever been built by craftsmen in this country or where-ever best guns are built by hand". "Mr. Purdey had decided to build his over-and-under guns in the future on the Woodward principle in Purdey's factory in London by Purdey craftsmen". This is one flat nice Woodward Under & Over from the Golden Period of Classic British Game Guns that will serve the next owner for the remainder of his/her sport shooting life. There is about 510 Boss O/U's produced by that great firm, how many Woodward O/U's were produced prior to 1949?