Bonhams next Sporting Guns, Rifles and Vintage Firearms Auction is due to take place on 26th May 2022. There are a number of lots in this auction that are rather interesting and well worth a look.
There are over two hundred lots in this Bonhams auction, from pairs of sidelock guns to an Alfred Noble explosives display case and everything in-between, there is bound to be something of interest to you.
Here are the hot lots from the latest Bonhams Sporting Guns, Rifles and Vintage Firearms Auction:
Lot 542 – A Pair of 12-Bore Sumner-Engraved Guns by John Dickson & Son
This pair of sidekick ejector guns by John Dickson & Son is being labelled as the highlight of the auction by the specialists at Bonhams. The action-bodies are profusely engraved with bold leaf scrollwork on a matt ground, highly-figured stocks (both of which are probably replacements).
This pair of shotguns were delivered as a pair of Best sidekick ejector guns with ‘special engraving’ by Jack Sumner and 29 inch barrels in November 1916. Both guns weigh 6lb. 7oz., have 13¾ inch stocks, and the 29 inch barrels, are choked approx. ¼ & ½ (No. 1) and ¼ & ½ (No. 2) chokes. They have 2½ inch chambers, and No. 1 London nitro proof and No. 2 London nitro reproof. The pair comes in their leather case with canvas cover. Estimate £14,000 – £18,000.
Lot 532 – A 12-Bore Pigeon Gun by J. Purdey & Sons
Completed in November 1914 for a C. G. Barnes, this Purdey shotgun (no. 21189) weighs in at 7lb 10oz and comes with two sets of 30 inch barrels with 2¾ inch chambers: the first have approximately I.C. and ⅝ chokes and the second have Extra Full chokes in both barrels. The stock has been replaced at some point in the gun’s life but it does come in its brass-mounted oak and leather case with Purdey trade-labels. Estimate £12,000 – £16,000
Lot 453 – A .416 (Rigby) Rifle By John Rigby & Co.
This Mauser M98 action-body rifle is number 1 of 10 and was built during the COVID-19 lockdown of Spring 2020 whilst the gunmakers were living at Rigby’s Pensbury Place headquarters. Dubbed the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ edition, the rifle commemorates the camaraderie and commitment that have come to the fore during that turbulent year. It has a highly-figured stock, ramp-mounted bead-foresight with guard, block-mounted gold-inlaid foresights fixed for 100 yards and folding for 200 and 300 yards, it had also been inlaid with the Rigby logo and the initials of the guns makers. Estimate: £6,000 – £8,000.
Lot 588 – A Terraglio-Engraved Beretta 12-bore ‘SO6 Sporting’ Gun
The engraving on this gun depicts a different gamebird on the left, right and underside of the action all surrounded by best bold foliate-scroll engraving. Unfortunately this gun does have a small hairline crack to the upper left horn. The weight of the gun is 8lb., it has a 14⅜ inch pull (13⅝ inch stock), and the 29½ inch barrels have 2¾ inch chambers, and multi chokes (½ & Full included). Estimate £6,000 – £9,000.
Lot 539 – A Pair of 12-bore Guns by James Woodward & Co.
This pair of guns come in their brass-mounted oak and leather case with trade labels. The gun’s details are as follows: weight 7lb. 0oz (No.1) & 7lb. 2oz. (No.2), 15 3/4 inch stocks, 29 inch barrels, approx. I.C. & ¼ chokes, 2 ½ inch chambers, London nitro reproof (No.1) & London nitro proof (No.2), both left barrel-thickness’s are at 20 thousands of an inch.
This pair of Woodward guns was completed on 1st May 1900 for the British army officer General Sir J.G. Maxwell GCB, KCMG, CVO, DSO. He served with the Black Watch in the Sudan at Tel-El-Kabir, the Atbara and Omdurman, and later in South Africa during the Second Boer War. During World War I, as commander of British troops in Egypt, he was responsible for the successful defence of the Suez Canal against the Ottoman raid of 1915. Estimate £8,000 – £12,000.
Lot 604 – A Pair of 16-bore Derwa-Engraved Browning ‘B25 C2S’ Guns
The 16-bore, the perfect compromise between the hitting power of the 12-bore and the weight of a 20-bore. This pair of Brownings have the toplevers and ribs engraved ‘I’ & ‘II’ in gold, the action-bodies engraved with bold foliate-scrollwork on a stippled ground and the side-plates and underside are engraved with gamebirds. The single-triggers are fully-selective with manual safety-slides. The well-figured stocks have semi-pistolgrips and are fitted with ‘Kick-Eez’ recoil-pads.
The guns weigh 6lb. 8oz. (No.1) and 6lb. 9oz. (No.2), the 13⅜ inch stocks have 14¼ inch pulls. The 30 inch barrels have 2¾ inch chambers and the chokes are approximately ⅜ & ⅜. Estimate £12,000 – £16,000.
Lot 545 – A Matched Pair of 12-bore Guns by Boss & Co.
These guns were completed in different years from each other as you might expect from a matched pair (gun No. 1 was finished on the 29th February 1907 and gun No. 2 was finished on the 31st June 1909), but both have highly figured stocks. No. 2 has had previous repair work to a crack in the upper right horn and is currently loose on the action. Some colour-hardening remains and they come in a brass-mounted oak and leather case with canvas cover and makers trade label. Both guns weigh-in at 6lb and 11oz, have 29 inch barrels with approximately I.C. and Cylinder chokes and 2½ inch chambers. Estimate £20,000 – £25,000.
The auction is due to be held at Bonhams’ London salesroom on Montpelier Street in Knightsbridge, London. You can view all of the lots in the auction from 22nd May to 26th May.
