2246

A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF SAMUEL & CHARLES SMITH'S

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,250.00 USD Estimated At:4,500.00 - 6,500.00 USD
A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF SAMUEL & CHARLES SMITH'S

IMPERIAL CAP & NIPPLE PATENT. DOUBLE SHOTGUN WITH CASE AND ACCESSORIES FROM THE W. KEITH NEAL COLLECTION. Cal. 14 bore (.710 dia.). S# 5457. The patent was granted as an improvement to the standard percussion system whereby the nipple is shortened by more than half its length and a special 3/8" wide cap is used. The patentee claimed that it decreased ignition time and caps were easier to handle especially while wearing gloves. This gun has 30" barrels of etched two stripe fine damascus. The raised game rib is engraved "Saml. & C. Smith, Princes Street Leicester Square. London." Bottoms of barrels are stamped with London blackpowder proofs, gauge (16) and S#'s. Case hardened patent breeches are fitted with non vented platinum blow outs and Smiths special short wide nipples. Top of rib extension is engraved "Smith's" "Patent" in a rectangle with platinum line borders. Case hardened breech iron with integral fences is engraved in large shaded scroll. Front spring percussion locks with tall flat faced hammers have maker's name and address at fronts of lockplates. Locks are very nicely engraved with large open scrolling acanthus which offsets small game scenes at center of plates with pheasant on left and partridge on right. Hammers, with scroll on sides have heads which are engraved in semi relief fish scale motif. Removable noses are temper blued and quite wide to surround the patented cap. Stock of beautifully stumped figured European walnut is iron mounted and measures 15" over steel buttplate with long top spur, which is engraved with scroll surrounding a woodcock in small oval and S#. Trigger plate with stylized pineapple finial has central portion engraved in shell pattern is one piece with long tang which holds lever for a trigger blocking grip safety. Separate trigger guard bow is engraved with scroll on surrounding small scene of a standing snipe. Stock attaches to barrels with captive side bolt through oval silver escutcheons. A silver crest plate is at top of grip engraved with a large dog passant with curled tail. Ebony ramrod with brass head and tail (worm under tail) is held by two beaded pipes and thimble similar to trigger plate. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: gun is housed in its original quartered oak case with pivoting hook closure and flush "D" ring circular handle. Upper right corner has brass card holder engraved "Edwd. F. Smith, Esqre." holder has clear horn cover over a W. Keith Neal calling card. Interior is lined in green cloth and contains most of the necessary accessories for this gun including a brown leather covered powder flask by Sykes, a leather shot flask by Hawksley complete with its seldom seen carrying strap, 14 Ga. wad punch marked "S.A.", rosewood handled turn screw and its matching nipple wrench specially made for the Smith patent short wide nipple. A turned boxwood bottle contains two replacement Smith nipples and two extra hammer noses. The top end of a two piece cleaning rod is present. Also included are two draw string leather bags containing a large amount of Smith's patent copper caps (100-200). A covered compartment has brass knob affixed with an original W. Keith Neal collection tag with inventory #C172. Compartment contains small leather wallet holding spare lock pin and hang tag from Chrisite's 25 October 2001 auction of the W. Keith Neal Collection lot # 23. Samuel & Charles Smith large paper label in lid illustrates the breech of a gun with their special nipple and another breech showing a standard nipple. There are four paragraphs of text below illustration outlining the advantages of Smith's percussion system. CONDITION: exceptionally fine. Barrels retaining over 85% original light brown finish. Breech iron, breeches and locks retain nearly all of their case hardening color, silvered on sharp edges, front portion of left lock shows loss of color from abrasive cleaning. Trigger plate retains most of its charcoal blue. A good deal of temper blue is on saftey lever. Trigger guard bow retains some blue, most lost due to flaking which is also evident on trigger guard finial and thimble. Buttplate shows about 30% blue on butt, tang is quite good with nearly all of its blue. Stock retains over 90% of its original finish with a fair scattering of marks mostly on butt. Shiny bores show a bit of frosting, locks are crisp. Exterior of case retains most of its oil finish. Interior cloth is fine, label is also fine with light foxing, some compressions and rubs. Accessories are generally fine to very fine with staining evident on leather. (01-21997/MGM). ANTIQUE. $4,500-6,500.