doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Another Interesting find from Deane Adams & Deane

Awhile back I was poking around the Rodger's Cabelas and happened to walk in just as they were bringing in bunch of guns they had purchased from an estate sale. One of them that caught my eye was a beautiful condition side by side percussion shotgun. At the time they didn't have a price for it and I pretty much assumed that it was going to be beyond my budget, but I gave them my number and a few days later they called me back and let me know the price, a very reasonable, I think, $450. I put it on hold and this afternoon finally decided to pick it up. I haven't had a chance to clean it up much yet, and I suspect it is a 12 guage but the other one I own is a 14 so I could be wrong. I'll measure it later tonight and let you know the answer.

The manufacturer is listed on the barrel as:

Deane Adams & Deane (Makers to HRH Prince Albert No 50 King William Street London Bridge

The gun is really in excellent condition with beautiful engraving, gold name plate engraved with some intitials, and excellent wood, though the checkering is definitely worn down over the years. The original ramrod is with it also. I removed the right lock to check it out and the inside looks as nicely polished as the day it left the factory, no comparison to a Pedersoli muzzleloading shotgun I own. As far as I can tell this one would be a shooter if I swapped out the nipples and proofed it. I only own one other original percussion English Double, but it isn't anywhere near this fancy. Would this have been a pretty standard grade shotgun from this period, or would it have been above average? I am curious about the maker, I assume it is probably the company that became famous for the Adams revolvers later one, but I don't know much beyond that. I am guessing the vintage to be mid to late 1850's. If anyone has some information I would appreciate it. Here are some pictures, though they aren't the greatest.






Thanks for looking

Regards,

Alex Johnson

Ya done well....

What a beauty. Nice piece of wood on her too! I have no info for you, but I hope you get her out there to shoot a little with.

That is one very fine gun in my opinion. I am jealous and I think you stole it. I would like awake at night, with the guilt. Please relieve yourself of this burden by sending it to my address. It would be very welcome here!

I wish I could buy a two piece stock blank that looks that good for 450.00. You scored BIG.

Is the dollar amount in your post missing a zero?

If not, CONGRATS YOU LUCKY &#^@$%#$* Well done!!!!

That's interesting and a beautiful gun. Yes, you stole it, lucky dog.
I have only seen the beautiful Tranter type pistols DA&D made, I did not know they even made long guns. Quite a score!.
Very well respected English gunmakers.
Mike

I had a chance to take it down a bit further and do some cleaning. I found out a few more interesting things and also took some more pictures. It is definitely not 12 bore, as it is clearly marked on the bottom 14. It also has what I assume would be the maximum load of 3 drams and 1 1/4 oz which seems reasonable. Here are a few more pictures of it.










I hope I can get it shooting again. I points like a dream and the locks are incredible quality, I will have to take some pictures of those next time I take them off.

Great looking gun, Alex! If the bores are anywhere as nice as the rest of it, you have a real treasure. 60 grs. 3f and 7/8 oz. shot or 70 grs. and 1 oz. ought to be very pleasant to shoot. Looks like a nice, high comb as well. Many English guns have dimensions more like our modern preferences than older American guns.

"London Gunmakers" By Nigel Brown, Christie's Books, 1998, list George & John Deane, wholesale ironmongers, 41 Fish St.Hill and Corner of Arthur St. Monument 1830-37, with succession of other, addresses and dates up to the company name, Deane, Adams & Deane 30 King St. and 1 New Weston St. 1853-1855; 30 King St. 2 New Weston St.1856-57. So you can date your gun to have been made between 1853-1857.

David Baker's "The Royal Gunroom at Sandringham" Phaidon-Christi's Ltd. 1989, have the picture of a "splended" gun, made for Prince Albert 30 King William St.London Bridge, by George and John Deane, of 30 King St. Deane, Adams & Deane exhibited at the Great Exhibition. Baker goes on to say that "At this time their gun department was managed by a man destined for fame in the story of British gunmaking, Robert Adams. He was to design the revolving pistol that bears his name." The gun discussed in Bakers discourse is beyond description.

It appears you have a marvelous piece of weaponry with a marvelous pedigree! I hope this has been of help to you.

CAUTION:

In looking at your second set of pictures, I noticed that the gun has 666 written on it. Its not 999, it is without a doubt 666, the devils number. That is an evil gun, forged from the fires of hell to promote lust in other mens souls. You should not own this gun. Send it to me for immediate destruction- I will destroy it at great risk to myself.



I'm jealous. I'm going to post a few pictures of a hammergun I have. Anything look similiar:

Sorry about the quality:

That looks like a pretty gun too, I'm envious that your checkering is still that sharp. Who made that one?

Thankyou very much for the detailed information on this shotgun. I had kind of figured that it was the same maker as the Adams revolver, but I wasn't sure much beyond that.

Thanks again for all the comments and the great information.

Regards,

Alex Johnson

Boothroyd agrees with Brown. Shows useage of D. A. & D. from 1851-1857 at 30 King Wm. St. Boothroyd also notes appt to Prince Albert in 1848. Condition of your gun looks remarkable and would be a great find at a lot more money than $450. Congratulations.

My gun only says "Ward" on the sideplate. It WAS a nice gun, the rib is completely shot, and one hammer is missing. The wood is in great condition, as is most of the metal. I got it for $25, so I got what I paid for.

I think your the second person I have ever heard of who got a steal at Cabelas. Let us know if you do fire her!

Beautiful gun. I would have placed it about 20 yrs earlier because of the platinum vents. I have a double rifle that looks darn near identical made by Lang. It's a 3xx serial number so I'm fairly sure it was made before 1830. Hence my guess for your gun. Looks like a super bargain.

Brent

I think $25.00 sounds like an excellent price. From what you describe it wouldn't be impossible to restore it. Ribs can be re-soldered and even remade if necessary. When I've had no other choice I've filed hammers from blocks of mild steel, an easier route is to put the original aside for safekeeping and buy a new set of castings that are close enough to be fit to the gun. This works very nicely, don't lose the original though. Find a copy of Brockways book on building muzzleloader shotguns and you will have a good time with such a project.

Actually I have been very lucky with Cabelas, I find they make more mistakes than you would think possible when pricing their guns. I bought a Pigeon grade Smith a few years ago from them for under $300 and also an early Smith hammer gun for $65 because it had a broken buttplate and cracked stock. Just so you don't think I'm a total jerk I told them what I thought about the prices of these two guns and gave them the opportunity to retract them, they just plain didn't think enough of them to change their prices. The Pigeon grade was not mint, but they were convinced that because it said Hunter Arms on it that it couldn't be all that valuable. The manager that was running the gun department at that time transferred to another store and her replacement is much more knowledgeable about older guns, there haven't been that many steller deals around since than. Still, as my Deane shows, there is the occasional super deal waiting to be found. I do frequent the store a lot and get to know the people at the gun counter so they know what I like. I also give them a lot of help identifying some of the stranger things that they acquire when I can. This keeps me in good with them and probably doesn't hurt when they get something interesting in since they tend to call me before putting it out on the floor.