Two gracile and coquette Manufrance Idéal shotguns have joined this stable recently. Both shared the same closet for almost three decades, being unwilling to split them appart I invited both to come with me.

The youngest Idéal is a 1980 vintage, 12 bore (DT, ejectors and 15" LOP), Prestige 375 model in overall pretty good conditions, with some wood nicks and a post-market pad. It weighs 3085 grs (6 lb 13 oz) and sports 70 cm (27 9/16 in) barrels. Self coiling sling is fully operative. It had only one previuos owner and came with all its importation paperwork and makers´ invoice. Original pad and case are missing, its former master will see if he can find them in storage room.

The second one is a 1923 vintage 16 bore Nº3R Model that have seen a lot of use and some neglect. Its wood seem to be original and in bad shape, the 70 cm barrel bores are pitted and its receiver was blacked at some point. Engraving looks faded and the trigger guard was resoldered to the trigger plate. It is in working conditions, barrel thickness will allow polishing and looks as an interesting project gun. It is quite a light gun (2500 gr) that will gain some weight after being restocked and a new sling attached. JayCee´s assistance proved critical for inspecting and valuating these guns.

Pictures have been changed, still a little dark and blured, hope my skills will improve when the 375 is reconditioned and the Nº3R is refurbished.

IDEAL MODEL PRESTIGE 375.


IDEAL MODEL Nº3R.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pPIlM_2vgCo/T9AI-5fS1qI/AAAAAAAAAbk/mAG8FtM8u1A/s576/IDEAL%2520009.jpg[/img]

Nice.French guns are underappreciated...

The first one, Irma la douce, is a nice looking girl. Can't wait to see the restoration results on the older gun.

Those of us who do appreciate Ideals are quite happy that they are largely under-appreciated (I am currently searching for a grade 6 or above in 16). One small lament is that the engravers employed by Manufrance had such a small canvas for their exquisite art.

TTT

Geoffroy,
Pictures of IDEAL 375 Prestige have been changed.

It seems that Ideal shotguns are undervalued in the US, but in France and Southern South America they remain rather well appreciated.

Regards,

EJSXS

yup- them Froggies invented the douce- also the bidet- clever folks indeed. After re-reading Mike McIntosh's "Best Guns" I might like to have one of George's Grangers- after a matched pair of Boss SLE's--A man can dream, now can't he??

ejsxs, That Pretige 375 looks fantastic. Looking forward to more pics when the work is completed.

Thanks Canvasback, certainly not as elegant as your Perfection, but I feel now part of a rather exclusive guild, in fact, with JayCee we are in a drive for finding more local owners of Idéals aiming at organising a circle or club.

Regards,

EJSXS