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Vincenzo Bernardelli HOLLAND VB Extra SLE, Best Gun, 12 Ga engraved by G.Pedersoli, MINT
Guns International #: 103459331 Seller's Inventory #: 26-034
Category: Bernardelli Shotguns - Shotguns - Italian Double
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: 14
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:
V. Bernardelli Holland VB Extra SLE, Best Gun 12 Ga 28” bls 3” F/M, with leather case
Engraved by Gianfranco Pedersoli, 1984 99% VERY RARE
(Not to be confused with Pietro Bernardelli, a lower cost/quality Italian gumaker with similar name).
V.Bernardelli’s Holland VB Extra is a handmade top-of-the-line sidelock side-by-side, an improved H&H Royal sidelock with more bells and whistles than H&H Royals and arguably equal in quality. This gun is featured with a 33 minute video at rogerrule, on YouTube, Special Guns with Roger Rule, Episode 40. A true handmade H&H 7-pin sidelock ejector action, that locks up with a Purdey triple compass turn lock (triple bolt) instead of the traditional double underlug (like H&H). It is engraved by the late great superstar* Gianfranco Pedersoli with his della robbia style that became his signature.
Description: 12 guage, 3” chambers, choked M (.022) and XF (.042), 28” chopper-lump barrels (both bores measure .723) with grooved and finely arabesque rib and small silver front bead, built with the traditional classic English pattern -- straight-hand grip and splinter forearm (10 inches) –articulated front trigger and coin-finished receiver.
Quality Features: This Holland VB Extra has all highest quality features:
chopper-lump barrels, H&H high-grade double seared 7-pin sidelocks, H&H Southgate ejectors, integral bridles, H&H double safety sears, bushed strikers (with engraved locking screws), gas escape valves, cocking indicators, beaded fences, and a manual safety. The top lever is serrated for either hand. In addition to the two locking screws for the bushed strikers, there are five more: each side of the sidelock action screw, the front locking lug, and inside of the forearm iron… seven total. Notice also how the upper tang and the two-screw-down lower tang are designed with stepped-down points inlayed perfectly into the surrounding wood (best-gun only quality). Rub your finger over the area and you can’t detect where the metal ends and the wood starts.
These are features that give away that this is a quality handmade gun, features generally found on Boss's, Purdey's and H&H Royals which new cost between 100K and 200K today!
In fact, if the maker’s name was concealed for my inspection, I would bet heavy money that this shotgun is a F.lli Rizzini R1E, until I broke it open and see the Purdey 3rd bite which makes it more prestigious than a R1E.
Like Beretta, V.Bernardelli built a large factory on the Mella River in Gardone. And like Beretta, besides their production guns made for the trades, V.Bernardelli also had a custom house that only built bespoke handmade best guns (of the highest quality of any Italian handmade gunmaker and priced similarly).
Inscriptions: There are four: left barrel --”V.Bernardelli S.p.A. Gardone V.T.”; right barrel -- “Made in Italy”; and on the underside in a semi-circle bannner, ”V.Bernardelli Gardone V.T., and left of the trigger guard, the engraver’s signature, “Pedersoli.”
The water table is stamped “AM” for 1984 – hard to believe looking at its 99% condition. The barrel flat is inscribed with maker’s name, serial number, proofs, logo stamp, “3” for chamber and “12” for gauge.
Engraving: From the book, The Italian Gun, the authors state the Holland VB Extra features “Holland-style bouquet and scroll engraving on a coin-finished receiver,” buyer’s choice of either floral and scroll engraving or game-scene. A close examination shows this gun has the finest floral, bouquet, and ribbon scrollwork as only Pedersoli would do, and signed by him.
Stock: Made of outstanding 4A walnut from Turkey, its contrasting dark and light streaks look rich, and shows equally on both sides and match the forend with its delicately inlaid Anson push-button release. The point pattern hand-checkering is 32 lpi, executed flawlessly and is generous with single borders wrapping around the forearm broken up with a diamond field. The pattern comes together surrounding the lower tang inlay with artistic detail.
Finish: The pleasing walnut figure and great color contrasts stunningly with the clean polished coin-finished frame and deep rust blue barrels. The stock is finished with a hand-rubbed oil finish.
Measurements: Dimensions are for modern shooters, 1 3/16” x 1 3/4” x 14 5/8" front trigger to checkered butt with neutral cast. Weight 7 lbs 7 oz. Includes maker’s leather trunk case and accessories.
Condition:
Near Mint: Although built in 1984, this gun has not been used and is 99.9% condition with the original case.
Price: $ 12,450.00
Seller is the author of The Rifleman’s Rifle (Winchester pre-64 Model 70s), is liquidating his collection 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, buyer contributes $100 shipping to buyer’s FFL, payment by MO, certified check, wire transfer or personal check with wait for validation. For questions, call (808) 989-1863 and ask for Roger.
About the Engraver, Gianfranco Pedersoli September 7, 1946 -- July 24, 2021. From his published obituary:
“At the age of 14 (1960), possessing good drawing skills, he abandoned his studies to devote himself fully to his art and began an internship with Master Engraver Giulio Timpini, who immediately became aware of his great talent.
Eventually, Pedersoli created work on commission for clients that left him total freedom both for choice of subject and for his choice of themes. After each specific creation was developed, it was never repeated. Each work became unique. He is considered one of the most important engravers both nationally and internationally.
In 2007, Blue Book Publications, Inc., produced a beautiful book entitled Gianfranco Pedersoli Master Engraver authored by Dag Sundeth about the man and his engraving art with magical photographs. Gianfranco Pedersoli’s skill and mastery of the burin leaves behind a body of work and a legacy that will inspire future generations of engravers.”
In that same book, the author confirms that the American public was awakened to fine arms with Italian master engraving made by Beretta and V.Bernardelli, introduced by Shooter’s Bibles.
In the book, The Italian Gun, the authors report that Gianfranco Pedersoli, is listed as a superstar on page 211. He was long considered a member of the elite of Italian engravers. Unlike Firmo Fracassi, who is a master of game scene engraving, and Angelo Galeazzi, who should be considered one of the founding fathers of Italian engraving as we know it today, Pedersoli was a master of floral engraving and scrollwork; specifically, the decorative style known as della robbia. This is a lavish composition that contains flowers, scrolls, and sometimes ribbon and fruit to create a Baroque composition that is lush and extravagant. The authors add, “It is not difficult do see that Pedersoli has inspired many engravers with his enormous ability to stylize such a restrictive surface as a lockplate, but he does, and in so doing transforms the very nature of the gun. No one compares with Pedersoli in the area of ornamental design.” Over his career, his work adorns many Italian makers of best guns. These include best guns by Beretta’s Due (Custom Dept.), V.Benardelli’s Custom House, Concari, F.lli Piotti, F.lli Bertuzzi, F.lli Rizzini, Perazzi, and Fabbri’s over-and-unders.
About the maker: Most Americans know Bernardelli by their reputation for building production guns; few here at home even know about their Holland VB true sidelock because it was not promoted by the importers
.
According to the book, The Italian Gun, the authors state that Bernardelli was another member of the venerable aristocracy of Brescian gunmakers going back to 1631. In 1865, Vincenzo Bernardelli, after whom the company was named, effected many “then modern” changes. Like Beretta, Bernardelli built a large factory on the banks of the Mella River in Gardone. Vincenzo cleverly focused on firearms that best served the times, but also like Beretta, kept one facility for his Bernardelli Custom House building only handmade true sidelock side-by-side guns. The Holland VB was offered in four grades.
Over the years, the company focus was supplying production guns to the trade, police, military and sporting world. For shotguns, the production models included: Side-by-side hammer guns: Brescia, Italia, and Italia Extra. For their side-by-side sporters: Model 112, S.Uberto series, Roma series, Elio, Elio E, Hemingway, Hemingway Deluxe, Luck, and Las Palomas Pigeon. For their over-and-unders, Models 110, 115, and190 and Orione. But, all of these were built in the production plant and while many of the deluxe versions were hand-assembled, none were handmade best guns.
On the other hand, the Custom House made one handmade clone of the Holland & Holland Royal, a best gun referred in-house as their Holland VB. It was offered in four styles. It copied the H&H Royal with the exception that Bernardelli employed the Purdey triple locking bolt (double underlug locking plus a third locking bite in the breech faceToday). Triple lock actions are only found on Royals special ordered with this feature.
V.Bernardelli’s Extra grade VB Holland is top of the line, provided with a leather case and accessories and offered with two engraving choices. The game-scene engraving was by executed by the superstar Italian Master Engraver Claudio Cremini and signed; and, the floral and scroll engraving was by the superstar Italian Master Engraver Gianfranco Pedersoli and signed. The Holland VB Extra was discontinued in 1997 but never available to Americans except by special order through the distributor.
The Bernardelli VB Extra is built with the highest standards of any Italian handmade maker.
With a company nearly as large as Beretta, with poor management, with so many queues, and succumbing to the Italian economic and political climes, Bernardelli filed bankruptcy in 1997. At that time their Custom House closed. Under reorganization, the company continued to operate until 2002 when the Vincenzo Bernardelli trademark was purchased by SAR Arms International. All of the models (except those of the Custom House) were back in production for another fifteen years, finally closing in 2017.
Today, the good news for Bernardelli gun owners is that now Fratelli Poli, the brothers Pierantonio and Tiziano, have revived the Bernardelli brand. They have original Bernardelli spare components and small parts, not only for break-action guns, but also for semi-automatics. They continue to produce side-by-side shotguns under the Bernardelli name and can replace broken or worn-out parts or send them to your favorite gunsmith.
What the Books Say about This specific Best Gun
From Fucili D’Autore (The Best Guns) by Marco e. Nabili
“The [gun they build] with true sidelocks is supplied with a double safety sear, similarly to the H&H system. The gun is also equipped with a Purdey triple compass turn block, and selected woods are employed depending on the price. Its rib is grooved and finely arabesqued. The engravings are sound and the guns are well executed which continue to give V.Barnedelli a leading image nationally (in Italy) among the side-by-side gun makers.” March, 1992
From The Italian Gun by Steve Smith and Laurie Morrow
V.Bernardelli’s top-of-the-line gun is the Holland VB, offered in 12 gauge only. The Holland VB Extra is a Holland-style sidelock with 70 cm or 72 cm demiblock (chopperlump) barrels chambered Modified and Full, automatic ejectors, single-selective trigger or articulated double triggers, Purdey triple bolt, choice of rib, straight grip or full pistol grip, splinter or semi-beavertail forend, deluxe wood, and top safety. The action features Holland-style bouquet and scroll engraving or game-scene engraving on a coin-finish receiver. This gun has hand-rubbed oil finish and hand checkering.” 1997
Price: $12,450.00
Shotgun Gauge: 12 Gauge
Manufacturer: Vincenzo Bernardelli
Model: Holland VB Extra
Barrel Length: 28
Manufacture Date: 1984
Engraving: Gianfranco Pedersoli