 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
John Wilkes Best London Sidelock Over/Under, 20 ga. 29" bls, 2 3/4" Special Series, Auto ejectors, New
Guns International #: 100955732 Seller's Inventory #: 64-2017
Category: Shotguns - English Double - Boss Shotguns
Seller's Information
When emailing or calling sellers direct, please mention that you saw their listing on GunsInternational.com
Seller: rcrwin70
Member Since: 9/26/07
First Name: Roger
State: Hawaii
Country: United States
Platinum Seller
Number of Active Listings: 0
Seller: Private Seller
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
3 days
Payment Types Accepted: cashiers check or money order or pay pal plus 3%
Description:
SOLD ** John Wilkes, London Best, Boss style Sidelock Over/Under, 20 Bore, 29” bls, 2 ¾”, “Special Series”
Auto ejectors, single trigger, true six-pin sidelocks, cocking indicator, serial number 15516.
?If you ever wanted one of the Boss clones for your bucket list, this is the most affordable one and it is still a London Best gun.
John Wilkes, 79 Beak Street, Soho, London, W.1. - John Wilkes “Special Series,” manufactured in 2004. Imported by John Wilkes Ltd., Colorado Springs, the sole USA distributor 2004-2007 for the London gunmaker, Original MSRP was $32,950 (see the Blue Book 34th Edition – photo attached, note last entry).
As new, gorgeous wood, bore is bright, no imperfections, round Prince-of-Wales grip with long tang. Anson forearm release, Ivory bead on flat cross-filed ventilated rib, DAC 1.5”, DAH 2.25”, LOP is 14.75” to checkered butt. Neutral cast, overall weight is 6 pounds, 15 ounces. Moves like a wand. The bore diameter is perfect at .615. Five Briley choke tubes. Non-selctive, bottom/top firing.
Beautiful Holland and Holland style engraving with a Celtic weaving pattern.
Inscriptions: Right Lock: “John Wilkes”; Left Lock: “John Wilkes”; Underside hinge: “John Wilkes London”; Right Barrel: “John Wilkes Colorado Springs, Co”.;Left Barrel: “John Wilkes, London”, Top Tang: “SAFE” (in gold); water table: “Special Series” and serial number “15516”.
Condition: The barrel bluing is 99%. Wood at 99%. Locks up tight. Comes in the makers metal case with bold name plate on the lid. Fired very little, I’ve only shot four shells through it since owning. Absolutely, the best gun I have ever owned.
About the Boss style Over/Under: Geoffrey Boothroyd in his book, Sidelocks and Boxlocks wrote:
”In 1909, John Robertson patented the Boss O/U gun, considered by many to be the finest of all British O/Us [including the Purdey and the Woodward]. Still in very limited production, the Boss O/U is not just a shotgun, it is a work of art.”
In their book, Gamefield Classics, the authors (Michael McIntosh and Bill Headrick) give us much more:
“The Boss over/under, patented and introduced in 1909, was not the first such gun in the modern English trade, but it certainly was the first to match the splendid handling qualities of the English side-by-side. Making an over/under action strong isn’t the trick; making it strong and slender is. With side-mounted trunnions forming the hinge and a fastening bolt that engages bites at the sides of the lower barrel, the boss frame is scarcely taller than the stacked barrels themselves. The Boss had a tremendous influence on the over/under gun…You can see clear evidence of that in sidelock guns by Lebeau-Courally, Fabbri, Bertuzzi, A.Galazan and others. What happened with the over/under in the twentieth century is essentially the same as what happened with the side by side in the nineteenth century…The problem with perfection is that it leaves no room for improvement.”
A list of the companies with their pricing, that make the Boss sidelock over/under: Piotti (starting $54,000), Bertuzzi ( $37,500 to $80,000), A.Galazan ($59,500 to $79,500), Fabbri ($80,000 to $125,000), and the original -- Boss ($73,000 to $120,000). Here's a Boss clone, London built, at a rediculously low price in comparison.
This statement should be repeated: "If you ever wanted one of the Boss-clones for your bucket list, this is the most affordable one and it is still a London Best gun".
About John Wilkes: According to the Blue Book, “Current manufacturer, established circa 1833 and located in Arundel, West Sussex, U.K. Previously imported and distributed 2004-2007 by John Wilkes Ltd., located in Colorado Springs, CO, and from 2001 -2004 by First National Gun Banque located [also] in Colorado Springs.”
Like other London gunmakers, John Wilkes the company, changed addresses several times, moving in 1950 from Broad Street to 79 Beak Street where they remained throughout the balance of the 20th century. According to Geoffrey Boothroyd, in his book Sidelocks and Boxlocks, “Wilkes still manage to produce a London-style ‘best’ sidelock shotgun to order, a quality gun with a long tradition to back it. Wilkes is unique in London and, as a family business with five generations behind it, not a little unusual in Britain as a whole.”
The gun is furnished with a fitted oak and leather case and a second canvas and leather case cover.
Priced to sell: $19,500.00
Seller is the author of The Rifleman’s Rifle (Winchester pre-64 Model 70s) and will furnish a Letter of Provenance that this gun is from his collection. Please check out author’s feedback on ebay under rcrwin70roger. 3-day non-firing inspection for full refund, shipping is $100 to buyer’s FFL, payment by MO or certified check or wire transfer.
SOLD