doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com King of Romania Purdey's at Julia Auction

These guns will be auctioned on March 12 and 13 at Julia's in Fairfield Maine. I spoke to Marcus Hunt about them, and the history of the engraving.
Truly a beautiful pair, with fantastic provenence.
Photos courtesy of Trevallion's Gunstocks.

If I have any money let over after buying the Czar's Parker and Hefner's Francotte, I will go after these guns.

Are they lefties? I see the note about the lever opening to the left.

Who engraved it?

I've seen another of the K of Rs guns - a 12g Guyot. It was very nice.

OWD

Thanks for posting, BH!! Always interesting to see what money could buy. Guess K of R doesn't pay these days like it once did!!

Any ideas why the balance point was 4 15/16" to the front trigger? Is that a customer order item (a known handling fitting item) or did it just happen that way?

Whats the estimate? Nice pair.

Henry(Harry)Kell was the engraver, date is in Purdey's letter.They are Left-handed guns, cast 'On' Aprox, 1/4" at Butt-End.Close to 'Zero @ nose of comb'Triggers Turned very Slightly for Left handed Shooter. Found that the majority of 'experts' who asked me at the Sandanona 3 Day Picnic & Fish-Fry,Sept.04 or 05, if the could Try the Stock Dims.Very,Very few even noticed that they had been Stocked for a 15 yr old, Left-Handed "KING"in 1936.The late Jack Mitchell shot them at 'My Place" with me, and we were both trained in the British School of Being able to shoot Equally well from either shoulder.(British Army training from using the "Lee Enfield Bolt Action Rifle)Once you remembered that the Opening Lever worked towards you, when shooting from the right shoulder,absolutely no problem with the opening the guns.The Leather-Covered R/Pads I made and Installed on each Gun, at the Owners request, replaced the \White Pine Lengthening Pieces that had been installed by a "Continental". I would have been'Highly Chuffed" to have been able to afford to have been the next Caretaker, at least for a couple of years!..Crossed'Purdey'Chisles...dt

I'm glad you're talking about the guns, not their provenance. Besotted prostration to celebrity is beyond me. The Czar never knew of the Parker, Hitler tyrant, Hefner shameless hedonist, Michael rode the Hitler and Stalin tigers. Imagine the stupefying goings-on if they find a Crescent in Nicole Smith's hopechest.

I'm not sure ANS ever had a hopechest. She probably took a look at herself at a ripe young age and said, "This, Bubba, is a forsurechest!" Still, getting a 12 bore Crescent in there seems a bit of a stretch.

These Purdeys make the Czar's would be Parker look like a rubber cigar!

Rocketmon'On the Order for the guns, the 'Balance was seldom noted' It was put on the Stockers 'Spec Sheet'The Order was dated April 1936. Ft.Trigger: @ 4.15/16 is a Mystrie to this Old Purdey Stocker. Original Stock Length,Bump.15.9/16ths-Middle.15.1/2"-Toe.15.7/8"--Bend Heel, 1.15/16ths.comb.1,3/8+1/32". Those were the days when the 6"Rayburn..Rule,,,ruled! Julia's Site has a very nice Photo of the Pair in the O&L Case. dt.