doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Is this Purdey a fake.... or am I just crazy????

I found this gun for what looks like a great price but all kind of red flags went up. To me, it looks like someone tried really, really hard to fake a Purdey. And they did a pretty good job (getting some details right... not quality wise). But the devil is in the detail. My guess is that it's fake...

First, off the configuration on the pins is all wrong. This is more in line with a H&H style sidelock... not a Beasley type... red flag #1. How about the colors? Aren't they off a bit, too? Also, take notice of the drop points. They're not typical of a Purdey. And the opening lever has no checkering. And where are the gas escape valves?


The belly of the action doesn't seems as rounded as a typical Purdey. Plus, That little "knuckle" on the forend iron doesn't like right (and neither does the entire shape of the forend iron). You usually see that on Spanish guns.


This is strange. The sidelocks aren't Beasley... but the self-opening system is more aligned with a Beasley than a H&H. I've also noticed that Purdey have a little screw on edge of the flat near the Knuckle... nothing here though. Plus, above the sliding bolt, the flat is squared off, where on a Purdey, it's rounded.



Certainly not BEST wood-to-metal fit...

On a Purdey, the screw in the bottom of the hook sits in a recessed "crater"... not flush and smooth with the surface like this.


The border on the checkering does not fully border the checkering pattern. Behind the safety, the checkering is borderless. The safety itself appears to be the correct shape, but the checkering on the buttom sloppy for a London Best.



This is also quite sloppy for a Purdey.







So What say you? It is fake?

Is this a joke Adam? Clearly a fake!

100% agree, and to be honest, not even a good one.

So Adam, give us the scoop on this one, price or whatever info you want.

Take Care!!!

Greg

Could this be a gun that Steve Barnett had, He said his was a Spanish that someone tried to fake into I believe a Purdey. I don't think he has it any more. Maybe if you called him he could shed some light.

The gun is on Gunbroker... listed at $11,300.... not bids yet! Surprising, I know! I wonder what the seller has in it.

My best guess is that its a dressed up Spaniard. I was hoping the flats would tell all but they even faked the stamps.

But one thing puzzles me. what about the "lifters" on flats (whatever they're called... the self opening mechanism). H&H type sidelocks don't have those. What gives?

The one Barnett has was a fake Charles Boswell... and he still has it listed at $2500.

Adam

Doesn't seem to be on Gunbroker anymore!

Adam, many years ago, I appraised a Virginia collection that included a fake Purdey with pigeon rib like your gun. However, it was a meticulously built gun that would have fooled many collectors. The serial number is in my files somewhere. I never saw the gun again.

16640 puts it at 1899 for the Purdey serial number. The original blackpowder proof marks on the action flats look correct but the nitro proof marks and original black powder marks on the barrel flats have been added and not by the Proof House to look at them. They are certainly forgeries. Whatever it is it has been restocked (badly), re colour hardened (untastefully). If it was for sale in Britain the Proof House would be happy to take on the vendor in a very interesting court case and with the full support of Messers Purdey & Son. Lagopus.....

I have seen a Purdey that was not the "standard" pattern that we all know .Must admit that I can not remember much about it . Purdey may well have made guns like this for export ,but only a call to them will confirm one way or the other.
It is an over done up gun that has many questions to be answered and I would not want to consider buying it without them .
I can not make out the proof marks but they do not look right to me [based on the photo] ,could it have been rebarreled ?