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LOT 491
Exceptional Consecutive Pair of Factory Creative Art
Signed and “Majestic” Engraved Ivo Fabbri 20/28 Gauge
Over/Under Shotgun Two Barrel Sets with Cases -A) Ivo
Fabbri Over/Under Shotgun - Serial no. E824, 20 gauge, 28
inch solid rib bbl., blue/brushed bright finish, walnut stock.
Ivo Fabbri got his start in firearms along side another of the
most highly regarded names in the business, Daniele Perazzi.
After the two went their separate ways, Perazzi went on to
build what are arguably the world’s highest quality sporting
guns, while Fabbri pursued his dream to build the finest
guns in the world, a goal many would argue that he was able
to achieve, with this pair being a shining example to that
end. Fabbri only builds some 30 guns per year, each being
hand crafted from the ground up by some of Italy’s finest
craftsmen, as such, pairs such as this do not often come up
for sale to the public.
Each gun in the set was built with blued steel barrels
featuring a single nickel bead sight on the file cut matted
flat solid rib which is inlaid at the breech with a gold “1”
or “2”, “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, 1996 dated
Italian proof marks on the flats, fixed chokes, and 2 3/4 inch
chambers with automatic ejectors. The barrels of each gun
are fitted to a an exceptionally attractive brushed finished
pinless sidelock action displaying stunning “Majestic”
engraving, reminiscent of the classic pieces of the European
renaissance. The design shows wonderfully executed floral
semi-relief scroll engraving erupting from the mouth of a
reposed griffin on either lockplate with the negative space
finely etched nearly black 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 angels emerging from either side of
a bouquet in front of the triggerguard. The engraving
continues onto the toplever, triggerguard and both tangs,
the upper of which is inlaid with a gold “1” or “2” behind the
safe latch. Both guns are signed “Creative Art” to the right of
the trigger for the world renowned engraving firms started
by Italian master engravers Giacomo Fausti, Ugo Talenti,
Giovanni Steduto, Valerio Peli, and Armando Piardi. While
this gun was masterfully engraved by the artists at Creative
Art, 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 a single non-selective trigger
and a tang mounted automatic safety. The guns are both
fitted with an exceptionally attractive well-figured and finely
checkered forend with bright finished and engraved forend
iron including the push button release which is inlaid with
an engraved “1” or “2” as well as a round knob pistol grip
stock with the initial “ASW” inlaid on the toe line and a fully
checkered bare butt.
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