The maker’s records note that this extremely rare 12 bore shotgun was completed in 1883. The records note two names against this serial number, a Captain E. Collier and a W.A. Happell. Lancaster was a second generation London Gunsmith who made a number of contributions to the design of armaments including systems for muzzle loading rifled cannons and his signature Lancaster Pistol, a monstrous quad-barreled firearm and logical evolution of the Howdah design. The mechanism from the Lancaster Pistol has been put to work in this arm in a significant deviation from the single and double barrel breechloaders of the day; departing from the conventional wisdom of using the opening barrel as a lever for recocking an internal hammer or striker assembly, the Lancaster uses an internal hammer with rotating striker and four fixed inertial firing pins. The rear trigger is pulled to cock the hammer and rotates the striker to line up with the next pin, with the front trigger used to fire, discharging each barrel in a rotary sequence. The browned damascus steel barrels themselves are arranged in a "square" configuration, two up and two down, with a single nickel sight blade in the concave top rib with extension, that is lightly engraved at the breech and bears the legend "CHARLES LANCASTER 151 NEW BOND STREET. LONDON. PATENT FOUR BARREL BREECH LOADING HAMMERLESS GUN". Each chamber is marked with a London "GP" and "V" proof along with the number "12". 3 1/4 inch chambers and a single extractor with London proofs dated to 2005. The frame is engraved with "rope" pattern borders and floral screws with "CHARLES LANCASTER'S PATENT/LONDON" on each side and a gold inlaid "SAFE" marking underneath the tang safety switch. The breech face bears another Lancaster patent marking and the individual recoil shields and pin bushings punch dot are numbered to match starting at the upper left barrel and running counter-clockwise (as viewed from the front). The semi-pistol grip stock is sharply checkered walnut with lightly engraved hardware on the splinter snap on forearm, a blank silver initial oval, casehardened grip cap, and a checkered bare butt. Comes with period leather case with brass corners, red baize interior with aged reproduction maker's label, 4 nickel snap caps, weighted pull through brush, and silver oil bottle.

Excellent as professionally refurbished with nearly all of the brown finish remaining and crisp markings. The action retains 98% of the bright case colors with clear markings and engraving. The replacement walnut stock is highly figured with sharp checkering and matches very well to the original forend. The case is very good with some handling marks and scuffs, removed initial plate, matching replacement straps, and relined interior with minimal wear and a single small tear. Mechanically excellent. Provenance: The Malcolm King Collection.