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LOT 1262
Cased Engraved Westley Richards Double Barrel
Percussion Shotgun - Serial no. 4361, 14 gauge, 29
3/8 inch solid rib bbl., brown/casehardened/blue finish,
walnut stock. This shotgun is identified on tags in the case
as sold to T.C. Whitmore in November 1840 and as purchased
from C. Ormond in 1952, and as formerly in the Westley Richards
Collection. The smoothbore Damascus barrels have a concave rib with a bead front sight and “WESTLEY RICHARDS.
170. NEW BOND ST LONDON”, and the platinum banded and plugged breech plugs are equipped with vented nipples
for use with Westley Richards’s patented “water proof safety primers” aka “mushroom primers” patented in on February
11, 1831, and have a dog holding a bird in its mouth on the rib extension. The locks and furniture are engraved
with primarily scroll and border engraving. The trigger plate finial is a stylized pineapple motif. The locks are signed
“WESTLEY RICHARDS”, and the serial number “4361” is boldly inscribed on the trigger guard. The escutcheons are
silver, and the figured walnut stock has multi-point checkering and a 14 1/4 inch length of pull. The mahogany case
has a Westley Richards trade label, leather wrapped powder flask, shot bag, small leather wallet with a set of regular
percussion nipples, “STEEL/17” marked punch, safety primers bag, cap tin, and wrenches.
CONDITION: Very fine as professionally restored with nearly all of the finish remaining, distinct Damascus twist
patterns, crisp engraving and markings, sharp checkering, and generally only minor age and storage related wear.
Mechanically excellent. The case and accessories are fine with mild age and storage related wear, including some
cracks in the lid. Overall, a very attractive shotgun from one of England’s most renowned makers.
Provenance: T.C. Whitmore; The Westley Richards Collection; C. Ormond; The Norman R. Blank Collection.
Estimate: 5,000 - 8,000
LOT 1263
Extremely Rare Cased Samuel
Nock Gunpowder Magazine - This
exceedingly rare japanned gunpowder
magazine from c. 1823-1837 bears a
“Samuel Nock/Gun Maker to his Majesty/
Regent Circus Piccadilly/Successor to Mr.
H. Nock.” trade label inside of the lid. The
mahogany case contains two powder
cans with gilt brass fittings. Though they
may have been fairly widely used during
the muzzle loading period by sportsmen
in the U.K., very few of these gunpowder
magazines survive. Powder magazines are
the subject of a dedicated chapter in “British Gunmakers. Their Trade Cards, Cases and Equipment. 1760-
1860” by W. Keith Neal & D.H.L. Back, pp. 18-21, including a rather similar example featured in plates 28
and 29.
CONDITION: Very fine with minor age and storage related wear.
Provenance: The Norman R. Blank Collection.
Estimate: 3,500 - 5,500
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