Gun Vault On Fox Hill - European Guns

HISTORICAL GUNS

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Fred Scales Gun; Fred Scales worked as a stocker at Purdeys during the first half of the 20th century during a time that some of the best guns ever were made. As all gun makers, at one point in their lives, he wanted a gun with his name on it. This one is Fred's. Having been married to a German girl, Fred's in-laws claimed firearm superiority over the English with their Merkels. Therefore Mr. Scales took this to task to impress the in-laws. And that he did. As the photos show, some features show Germanic influence especially the cheek piece on the stock and the definite influence, almost Gothic, in Harry Kell's engraving. This gun has been the subject of an article, Made To Impress, by Geoffrey Boothroyd in the Shooting Times and Country Magazine (March 15-21 1990). It will be the subject of an article in the near future.

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Baron Maurice de Hirsch, 1831-1896, was a German Jewish financier and philanthropist in England. After his son's death he organized the Jewish Colonization Association thru which many Jews were emigrated to North and South America from Russia. This feat reflected his words " I have lost my son, but not my heir; my heir is humanity. The Baron assisted Queen Victoria and the Royal Family amass a vast fortune by providing inside information for profit. In our world, the Queen might have been Martha Stewart's "roomie" in the Federal Penitentiary. This Purdey (14069) 20 bore hammer gun with Sir Whitworth steel barrels was made as No. 1 of a pair in 1891 for Baron de Hirsch. As many contemporaries, the Baron was a frequent customer at Purdeys.

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Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last of the throned leaders of the Punjabs, was brought to England after the conquest of India. As a British subject he became a close companion to Queen Victoria who established him as a wealthy country gentleman of great notoriety especially as a shooting sportsman. After acquiring the Elvedyn Estate, he transformed it into a Mecca for the shooting aristocracy of his day. His prowess as a shooter and hunter included him as one of "The Best Shots" with his contemporaries, Lord de Grey, Lord Huntingfield and Lord Walsingham. In 1871 he ordered Purdey no.8464 as no.3 of a trio which was discovered in a quaint gun shop in Northern Alberta with the owner quite unaware of its previous history.

Maharaja Duleep Singh

Lord Huntingfield Lord Walsingham

Lord de Grey

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Lord Walsingham, as mentioned above, was also recognized as a Best shot. One of his contributions to the sport and to the Badminton Library was "Shooting on the Moor and Marsh" with Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey. One of his most notable feats which has never been duplicated was shooting 1070 grouse to his one gun in a single day, August 30, 1888. Purdey gun no. 8688 was delivered to him as the second gun of a true pair of 13 bore 30 inch muzzle loader. This Purdey is considered the last muzzle loading shotgun recorded in Purdey's First Dimension Book and the last made by Purdey.

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"Mr. Champion's Atkin" an article written by John Ian Gregson in the Shooting Sportsmen, page 49 September/October 1999 issue, describing the only O/U ever made by Atkin for a Mr. Champion as a special order gun. Other than the improved ejector system, the gun is identical to the Woodward OU. So much so that a legal conflict ensued between Woodward and a Mr. Hill. This Mr. Hill while under the employ of Woodward, had designed the Woodward OU and after leaving claimed it as his own. Very interesting part of gun development and history.

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James Purdey & Sons # 26865 circa 1960. Exceptional 20 bore and last gun made by David Trevallion while at Purdey's Audley House address. When David left Purdey for his stretch in the British army and eventually the US, he had not seen his last gun completed until 46 years later in his home and shop in Maine. Some of the workers at Audley House who contributed to the creation of #26865 are the following.

Actioner...Peter Nelson

Barrel maker...Brian Frost

Ejectors...Peter Finch

Stocker...David Trevallion

Trigger...David Trevallion

Finisher...Peter Chapman

Polisher...Dan O'Brien

Case hardening and blackening...Dan O'Brien

Engraver...Ken Hunt

Regulation...Robert Heath

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John Dickson & Sons # 3795/3796 Exceptional pair of unfired muzzle loading double barrel rifles built in 1883 for eccentric Scottish collector Charles Gordon. Two of over 300 different firearms ordered by Gordon from 1875 till his death in 1906. Both 50 cal rifles are identical in every respect including Whitworth steel barrels but # 1 has conventional blackened finish and # 2 Damascus finish. All accessories are of the best quality and original to the set. This pair is of museum quality and provenance that traces its history to Canada and Scotland where they were acquired in an estate sale after Gordon's ownership.