doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Personal shotgun of Thomas Alfred Clark Mortimer

I suspect someone just got a bargain.

Today's Pook&Pook auction had a very nice Scottish boxlock by Mortimer. Damascus barrels. Interesting details filed around the top lever. Wonderful condition, in a leather case serial numbered to a different Mortimer gun a few hundred off. The lot sold for $1400 to an onsite bidder.

Beyond just being a very nice looking double, it turns out this same gun was sold by Bonhams in 2010 for � 3,600.

Here's Bonham's description:

A 12-bore boxlock ejector gun by Mortimer & Sons, no. 7699
The treble-grip action-body with bouquet and foliate-scroll engraving, the top with carved scrolls, much hardening-colour, chequered triggers, well-figured stock with escutcheon, engraved TACM intertwined, and engraved heel-and-toe plates, the browned damascus barrels with game-rib engraved Mortimer & Son, 86 George St, Edinburgh
Weight 6lb. 11�oz., 14�in. stock, 30in. barrels, approx. cyl. & � choke, 2�in. chambers, London nitro proof
In a Mortimer & Son leather case for gun no. 7504
Footnotes
Literature:
H. Lee Munson, The Mortimer Gunmakers, 1753-1924, p. 136, pls. 210 and 211. The gun was completed in 1907 for Thomas Alfred Clark Mortimer (1840-1912) who had taken over the family business, aged 20, after the abrupt death of his father in 1860. Upon his retirement in 1907, shortly after this gun was completed, he sold the business to two former employees, and died five years later

Bonham's certainly provided more information than Pook&Pook, who had only this to say:

Mortimer & Son, Edinburgh double barrel side by side hammerless shotgun, 12 gauge, the nitro proof Damascus barrels inscribed Mortimer & Son, 86 George St. Edinburgh, the scroll engraved receiver inscribed Mortimer & Son, having a scroll engraved break lever, tang, trigger guard, and butt plate, 1" bronze monogram to lower side of butt stock, in a fitted Mortimer & Son labeled case, 30" barrels, 13 1/4" pull. SN #7699 | Estimate $800 - 1200 | Condition: Overall fine condition, mirror bores, strong case colors on receiver, tang and lever, case with mismatched serial number and shows wear.

You have to wonder about the decline in value from $4637 (including premium but excluding import costs from the UK to the USA) in 2010 to $1750 today (hammer+premium). Is this due to the size of the auction house? Whether provenance was provided? Or a decline in value?

I think it also should give us a reminder to leave good notes for our families for when they liquidate our collections. We may know the details, but I don't think we can count on anyone else close knowing them.

BTW, I did bid, but not as much as I would have had I not just added another Greener to my collection last week. I really like Greeners but this Mortimer would have been a nicer add to the collection!

It was adjustment in market value as a result of poor decision to ruin the buttstock, and the key word is "market"

Not many individuals (adults that is) find a LOP of 13 1/4" acceptable. (LOP formerly 14 1/2", now listed as 13 1/4")

From Pook and Pook auction 11-16-2019


From Bonhams auction 3-10-2010

Pook & Pook's LOP measurement was wrong. They measured from the back trigger.

Stock was untouched from the gun's time at Bonham's.

I think most of it is the market. Plenty of guys knew about that gun./

There are no secrets any more...

OWD

I�d be willing to bet Bonhams measured from the front trigger, and the other guys measured from the rear.

The gun was worth more than it sold for. The guys who value good Damascus tubes were clearly not in attendance. That happens, sometimes.

But, make no mistake, there are fewer of those guys every year.

Best,
Ted

I agree the measurements are different, but I wonder if the stock was changed as it still has heel and toe plates surrounding a checkered section. Just a guess but I suspect it was measured incorrectly from the rear trigger.

This picture is from today's auction.

You all are fast...in the time it took to upload the pic, double check my opinion and post, this was already addressed.

Any opinions on the gun itself? I thought it was attractive.

Stylish. Old. Finished to a high standard. Old. Neat history. Old. Cased. Old.


Did I miss anything? I missed the auction, too.

Best,
Ted

The gun sold for a price that exceeded the high estimate by more than 15%.

This should be a teachable moment. It matters who you employ as an Auctioneer when you sell your guns.

I agree, Keith, but, would add that the times have changed a bit since Bonhams sold it. They wouldn�t have duplicated the number of the first sale, unless two of Mortimer�s relatives, who both wanted the gun, were in attendance.


Best,
Ted