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VERY FINE HIGH ORIGINAL CONDITION STEPHEN GRANT

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:6,250.00 USD Estimated At:12,500.00 - 17,500.00 USD
VERY FINE HIGH ORIGINAL CONDITION STEPHEN GRANT

HAMMER SHOTGUN WITH CASE. Cal. 10 Ga., 2 7/8". S# 3390 (circa 1872). Stephen Grant is well known for his exceptionally well made shotguns, nearly all of which are of "best" quality. This fine early gun has 32" 2 stripe damascus bbls. The slightly raised flat unmatted rib is engraved "Stephen Grant 67 A St. James St. London". Bbl. flats are stamped with London black powder proofs for 10 ga; bottoms of bbls. w/ S# & maker's initials "H.W". Rnd. bodied case hardened Jones underlever action is fitted with peninsula non-rebounding back spring locks having tall rnd. bodied serpentine hammers w/ high spurs. Fences are very nicely filed & firing pins are gold plated. Breach face is stamped "E. G. HODGES PATENT 835". There are sm. lightening cuts in water table which is also stamped w/ Hodges patent logos. Action & locks are engraved w/ approx. 70% coverage very nicely cut sm. scroll w/in scroll & line borders. Each lockplate is engraved "S. GRANT". Heads of hammers are engraved in stylized dolphin motif. Case hardened operating lever & trigger guard are engraved to match. Dark well-streaked & nicely figured European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14 5/8" over steel buttplate w/ short top spur. Classic point pattern checkering with mullered borders is at grip & a silver oval on toeline is engraved w/ monogram "LC"(?). Matching splinter forend w/ well filed steel tip attaches to bbls. w/ captive side bolt through shaped & engraved steel escutcheons. MEASUREMENTS: bbls.: bore diameter: right: .773", left: .774". Restriction: right 0", left 0" (made before the invention of choke). Minimum Wall Thickness: right: .038", left: .042". STOCK: DAH: 2 1/4". DAC: 1 1/2+". LOP: 14 5/8". CAST: approx. 1/4" off. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: gun is housed in what is quite possibly its original leather case w/ brass corners. Case is lined in scarlet cloth. Paper Stephen Grant label is in lid, along w/ a charge card. Bottom portion of case is semi French fitted for gun & some high quality accessories including 2 piece cocobolo & brass cleaning rod, bone striker bottle containing a pair of strikers for a hammerless gun, pair of brass snap caps, rnd. oil bottle, pull through cleaning kit, tin oiler by Lucas Limited of Birmingham, 10 Ga. wad punch & leather covered hand protecter by Helles. CONDITION: exceptionally fine. Bbls. retaining well over 95% original brown w/ dramatic contrast evident in these beautiful bbls. Action & locks retain over 90% original case hardening color w/ some light scratches & some silvering evident on top action tang & right lockplate. Operating lever is somewhat silvered on knob & trigger guard shows considerable silver on tang. Stocks retain nearly all of their original oil finish which is a bit dry & shows some open grain. Buttstock has a scattering of minor marks w/ a few fairly deep pings. Buttplate retains about 40% of its original bright blue, the remainder mostly flaked to brownish gray. There is a sm. ding in checkering of forend, otherwise checkering shows little wear. Bores are bright & shiny, action is very tight. Locks are crisp. Case leather is dark w/ a considerable amount of chips & scratches. Straps & handle are replaced. Interior cloth has been renewed. Label has been conserved, reinstalled and shows considerable insect damage & scattered foxing, charge card is about the same. Cloth remains excellent with a few marks & rubs. Accessories are generally good to excellent, handguard has some chipping & marks in leather. A truly superb high condition gun of investment quality. (01-20180/MGM). ANTIQUE. $12,500-17,500.