Hi all
I think I had better start answering your questions.
Short round yes It is the same gun that James Mason is holding in the Film The Shooting Party and if you dont mind me saying again it is probably the only film that truly captured what a British Edwardian country house shoot was like in reality the shoot scenes available to watch on u tube.
OH. It could be a drop in fit but the cases original resident had 32 inch barrels and a dolls head extension so some wood needed at each end of the barrel compartment, also the action securing strap is missing as is the stop in the action compartment at the stock end so I will have to fit some timber there. Also though it is not clear from the photograph the tops of the oak liners are so split that they are falling off so need repairing. But as the case is it could be used if I did the repairs to the oak liners.
Cpa. The steam and oil treatment was given to the leather because it was that dry it had the consistency of wood. Because it is Aniline leather there is no surface sealing coat and it is naturally porous after tanning so if it is not regularly maintained it drys out so you have to put a certain amount of water back to hydrate the leather and oil to lubricate the leather fibres or it will start to crack especially along the hinge line. So the steam and Neetsfoot oil treatment was used in times now long past to soften all sorts of leather articles if they became too hard.
The treatment is simple you need a large box cardboard will work for a one off job and a wallpaper steamer (the gadget you for removing wallpaper from a wall) because it provides steam for quite a long time between re-fills. Now I am not sure that Neetsfoot oil is available in the States but it is worth the effort to locate a source because it is the finest treatment for softening leather there is but the smell can be a little off putting. You apply a very thin coat of oil over the leather article and place it in a steam filled box the heat and the steam will encourage the oil to soak deeply in to the leather fibres and the steam gently hydrates the leather at the same time.
Frank will this picture be ok.
