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Extraordinarily Mint and Rare James Purdey Hammer Gun Case with Original Accessories for Charles Gordon
Guns International #: 101649175 Seller's Inventory #:
Category: Gun Cases - English - Accessories - English
Seller's Information
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Seller: R.A. Butler
Member Since: 2/25/18
First Name: Richard
Last Name: Butler
State: Indiana
Zip: 47025
Country: United States
Phone: (812) 537-9820
Number of Active Listings: 1
Total Number of Listings: 13
Seller: Private Seller
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Payment Types Accepted:
Description:
SOLD! An extraordinarily mint and rare James Purdey gun case with a nearly complete complement of mint original Purdey marked accessories attributable to one of the most famous gun collectors of all time, the eccentric Scotsman Charles Gordon.
The case and accessories look like they left Audley House yesterday! The oak case with a 11 7/8" x 36 3/4" highly figured single board top and single board bottom and nearly all of its brilliant high gloss original finish overall is lined with rich dark green baize, still in perfect condition with absolutely no fading or moth damage, and fitted in the French manner with mint original Purdey marked accessories.
The mint original accessories, showing no use at all, include:
--- a matching pair of best coromandel wood handled powder and shot measures (the shot measure lipped) with blued thumbscrews to fix the charge by James Dixon & Sons of Sheffield, the style of measures typical in cased Purdey guns;
--- a matched pair of best coromandel wood oval handled large and small round blade turnscrews;
--- a best coromandel wood rammer with base for reloading pinfire shells (or central fire shells too), the rammer marked "J. PURDEY / & SONS / 12;"
--- a best coromandel wood handled hand closer (roll crimping tool) with a brass collar marked "J. PURDEY / & SONS / 12;"
--- a Pope's Patent 12 bore cartridge extractor with eccentric wheel, possibly bronze, marked "J. PURDEY & SONS;"
--- a best single joint (two piece) ebony cleaning rod; and
--- a matching large and small pair of turned wood boxes, the large one more than half full of original patches.
Coromandel wood is and was even in the late 19th century quite rare but it was used then in the gun accessories trade, appearing in James Dixon & Sons catalog of 1883. The wood is indigenous to India and Sri Lanka and was logged to near extinction centuries ago.
The original case label has come loose from the interior of the lid but is in mint condition with sharp corners and edges and ready to be reapplied to the lid in exactly the right spot where a faint outline of the original label location is barely discernible.
I'm all but certain this case to be for Purdey gun No. 15160 made for Charles Gordon. Although the case is not numbered, it is the style of casing you see with Gordon guns and, according to Donald Dallas in his book "Charles Gordon Magnificent Madness," Purdey gun No. 15160 was a 12 bore pinfire shotgun with back action locks and lever over guard (Jones under lever) and 32" barrels and that is exactly the configuration for which this case appears to be partitioned and provisioned.
If you own Purdey gun No. 15160, I'm sure you'll agree that I'm an angel descended from heaven above to find and unite you with this extraordinary case and accessories. Though I entertain trades and you'd certainly be willing to pay any price, I do not accept wives, children, or body parts in trade. Maybe try the dark web. I hear you can convert those things to cash there. I've been tempted more than once to avail myself of those services.
If you don't own Purdey No. 15160, this is the perfect case for your other high condition Purdey (or other best) hammer gun, whether pinfire or central fire. Or, it's the perfect way to own an extraordinary piece of the fabulous Charles Gordon collection.
Worth noting, according to Donald Dallas, James Purdey the Younger sold this case and accessories to Charles Gordon himself on April 29, 1895 for £13.7. Adjusted for inflation, that's equivalent to £1,848 or $2,568 today.
Now, I've marked this extraordinary outfit up a little from it's original price but darn little. I'm pricing this Purdey case and accessories so low, they're almost free. You'll probably feel like you want to pay more than I'm asking. Don't take advantage. Let your conscience be your guide.
SOLD