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LOT 3650
Outstanding Factory Master Claudio Tomasoni Signed and Engraved Ivo Fabbri Sidelock Double Barrel Ejector Shotgun with Case - Serial no. 3239, 12 gauge, 28 inch solid rib bbl., blue/coin finish, walnut stock. Ivo fabbri got his start 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 shooting gun, and Fabbri perused his dream to build the finest guns in the world, with this gun being true to that end. 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 this not all that commonly offered for public sale. This gun is built with blued Bohler Super Blitz steel chopperlump barrels with a single nickel bead sight on the file cut matted solid rib, bands of engraving at either breech, import mark on the under rib below the forend, 2 3/4 inch chambers with automatic ejectors, and 1975 dated Italian proofs. The coin finished sidelock action is displays absolutely timeless fantasy engraving, looking like the engraving found on a modern gun while simultaneously evoking the same emotional response as when one looks deeply at a 16th century European tapestry. The design consists of beautifully executed floral scroll engraving emanating from the mouth of a reposed griffin on either lockplate with the negative space finely matted 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 harpies. The engraving is signed “inc. Tomasoni. C.” for renowned Italian Master Engraver Claudio Tomasoni. The gun features a single non-selective trigger and a tang mounted manual safety. Beautiful, highly figured, multi-point checkered forend with engraved fittings including the Anson button release and a straight grip stock with a Decelerator recoil pad. Included is an oak & leather takedown case with a pair of snap caps. Barrel and stock measurements (R/L): bore diameter nine inches from the breech both proved at 18.4mm (.724 inches) and measured .728/.727 inches; choke constriction .025/.042 inches; minimum wall thickness .036/.039 inches; 1 1/8 inch drop at comb; 1 9/16 inch drop at heel; 14 1/2 inch length of pull; weight 7 lbs. 8 oz.