Heritage Guns' Comment

Throughout its centrefire era, Purdey has been famous for its well defined house styles: it did what it did superbly and rarely diverted from its normal designs and styles. By 1885, the Beesley patent, self-opening, hammerless sidelock was already in production and the hammergun's heyday was slowly coming to an end. However, shooting sportsmen have always been a traditional bunch and many carried on ordering hammerguns well into the 20th century so Purdey was obliged to humour them. Contrary to popular belief, Purdey therefore chose to outsource some of their production to trusted members of the outworking gun trade and gun no 12191 is a fine example of this business model.
The gun is in the normal Purdey style of 'Island, Backaction lock' but there is an interesting difference between this and most of their other 'Island' locks: the position of the lock's through-pin. Normally this would be at the front of the lock plate but here it is located in the very centre of the lock plate. Secondly, the barrel and action flats exhibit an unidentified trademark and letter 'C', presumably from the outworker who built the gun. I have no doubt that the gun was finished, stocked and engraved by Purdey themselves but the initial auctioning and barrelling was done by another.
So this gun gives us a fascinating insight into the workings of the very top of the late 19th century gun trade and with its beautifully TIG sleeved barrels, lovely wood and excellent dimension, it would make a fine gun for any discerning clay or game Shot.

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