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Lord Ripon's Purdey shotgun to go under the hammer

Lord Ripon’s Purdey 12-bore shotgun is estimated to fetch £45,000.

By Barnaby Dracup

Monday, 13 July 2009

A shotgun that once belonged to one of Britain’s greatest Shots, Lord Ripon, is expected to fetch up to £45,000 when it is auctioned on 24 August.

The rare Purdey 12-bore hammer ejector gun is the number one gun of a pair specially built for Lord Ripon in 1895.

The number two gun was sold in 1999 for £40,250 after previously fetching £14,300 in 1985. From 1867 to 1923, Lord Ripon accounted for 556,813 head of game.

He meticulously maintained his gamebook, which records that in more than 46 years he shot 97,503 grouse, 11,258 partridges, 2,454 woodcock, 2,882 snipe, 3,452 wild duck, 30,280 hares, 34,118 rabbits and 382 red deer.

Auctioneer, Gavin Gardiner, commented: “I am extremely pleased to have been asked to sell this gun, which has such wonderful provenance. I have been working as an expert within the sporting gun field for more than 20 years and nothing causes more excitement among collectors than anything associated to the magnificent Lord Ripon.”

For more information, visit http://www.gavingardiner.com

Wednesday 24 April 1985,Sotheby,s lot 470, 12 bore hammer ejector gun #14982, by J.Purdey & son, #2 of a pair built for Lord Ripon[as Earl de Grey] sold for 14,300 pounds stirling, including 10% buyers premium![ Sotheby estimate was 3500-4500 pounds!] With this potential return, why risk the the stock exchange?

Sounds to me like that Purdey might be wore out....

jOe
I can imagine you as a young boy placing a paper bag full of dog crap on your neighbors front door step, lighting it on fire and then ringing his doorbell... LOL
Steve

"556,813 head of game"....

I figure he had to miss a few times that's a lot of shooting even for a Purdey.

If my figures are correct (and they may not be) those numbers work out to almost 30 animals per day, every day, over 70 years of hunting. I have to believe those numbers were fudged a bit:-)

JIm

Those are staggering numbers of course, but when you are bagging 300 - 1000 birds a day the numbers really add up :-). A couple of books provide detailed summary of Ripon's very detailed game books. According to the references, the daily numbers are corroborated by other sources (e.g., shooters on the same shoots.) I'll see if i can dig out a copy of the game book and post it on the board. It is impressive - everything from rhinos to grouse are listed.

Ken

It didn't say he shot them all with that gun.

My guess is he, being of proper British manner and upbringing, would simply request that that animals line up in a forthright fashion, whereupon he would use a single solid jacketed bullet to pierce the heads of as many as 75 critters at a time.

... Also, the pound and dollar were almost even in the mid 80's, not the $1.75 to the pound we see these days.

Was the #2 gun that was sold in 1985 purchased by Cyril Adams?