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LOT 3628
Sensational Set of Three Factory Master Claudio Tomasoni Signed and Fantasy Engraved Ivo Fabbri Sidelock Over/Under Shotguns with Case -A) Ivo Fabbri Sidelock Shotgun - Serial no. 3493, 12 gauge, 28 inch vent rib bbl., blue/bright finish, walnut stock. Ivo Fabbri began his career in firearms along side one of the most well-known names in
the business, Daniele Perazzi. After they split, Perazzi went on to create arguably the world’s finest sporting guns, and Fabbri perused his dream to build the finest guns in the world, with this trio of guns being the embodiment of that goal. Fabbri only builds some 30 guns a year, each is hand crafted from the ground up
by some of Italy’s finest craftsmen, making guns such as these not all that commonly available for public sale, especially as a factory consecutive set
of three. Each gun is built with blued barrels with a single nickel bead sight on the file cut matted vent rib which
is marked with a gold inlaid “1”, “2”, or “3” for guns “A”, “B”, and “C” respectively, “IVO FABBRI - BRESCIA-” marked on the left of the upper barrel and “VACUUM ARC REMELTING STEEL” on the right,
a band of engraving at the breech,
2 3/4 inch chambers with automatic ejectors, and 1987 dated Italian proofs. The magnificent brush bright finished sidelock actions display absolutely fantastic fantasy engraving which
brings to mind many classic works
of art from Europe’s renaissance. The design consists of beautifully executed floral scroll engraving erupting from
the mouth of a reposed griffin on
either lockplate with the negative
space finely etched creating a rich depth of field and continuing onto the underside which bears the markings “IVO FABBRI/BRESCIA, ITALY” over a Maltese cross in a shield along with a pair of bare breasted fairies emerging from either side of a bouquet in front of the triggerguard. The pieces are signed “inc. Tomasoni. C.” on the triggerplates for renowned Italian Master Engraver Claudio Tomasoni. While this set of three was masterfully engraved by Tomasoni, this engraving theme has been used by various Italian engravers and makers, with one very similar interpretation of the theme being pictured on page 545 of “Fucili D’Autore” by Nobli. The guns feature single non-selective triggers and a tang mounted manual safety switches.
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