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Lot 1373:W.W. Greener Facile Princeps Double Barrel Pigeon Shotgun

September 11th, 2021|Rock Island, IL

Lot 1373:W.W. Greener Facile Princeps Double Barrel Pigeon Shotgun

September 11th, 2021|Rock Island, IL

Price Realized:

Estimated Price$2,750 - $4,500

Fine & Very Rare Documented Panel Game Scene Engraved W.W. Greener 12 Bore “Facile Princeps” Double Barrel “Grade FH60” Pigeon Shotgun with Gold Heel & Toe Plates

This shotgun is described and illustrated in “The Greener Collections” book by Graham Greener on pages 134-135 where it is confirmed as started in 1909 and completed in 1910 with engraving by Gilmore, a very talented engraver employed for many years by Greener. The gun features the forearm ejector system. The browned Damascus barrels are each engraved with pyramids of scrollwork at the breech end. The matted concave rib is signed “W.W. GREENER. MAKER. 68. HAYMARKET. LONDON. WORKS ST. MARY’S SQUARE. BIRMINGHAM” within a panel and has a beaded front sight and a low relief vignette of a pigeon engraved ahead of the rib extension. The treble grip bolstered action has arcaded fences, “W.W. GREENER” signed on each side, an enclosed Greener cross bolt, blued toplever, and conventional automatic safety with gold inlaid “SAFE”. The trigger guard is engraved “GRADE FH60” on the tang and encloses blued triggers. The action and trigger guard are each finely engraved with classic Greener scrollwork framing vignettes of partridge and grouse and pointer and a setter in woodland and field settings. The underside of the barrels and the water table have Birmingham nitro proof marks and Greener “Elephant” trademark, and an import mark is under the forearm. The well-figured semi-pistol grip stock has a checkered butt with gold heel and toe plates, arrow-shaped dark horn drop points, checkered grip and forearm, dark horn grip cap, a scroll engraved Deeley & Edge fastener and dark horn tip on the forearm, and a blank gold oval initial escutcheon on the underside of the butt. The underside of the barrels and butt have sling mounts. Barrel and stock measurements (R/L): chambers proved at 1 1/4 oz (2 3/4 inches) and measured at 3 inches; bore diameter 9 inches from the breech both proved at 12 (.729 inches) and measured .732/.731 inches; choke constriction .036/.034 inches; minimum wall thickness .029/.034 inches; 1 1/2 inch drop at comb; 2 inch drop at heel; 14 9/16 inch length of pull; cast-off; weight 7 lbs 1 oz. Provenance: The Malcolm King Collection

ConditionFine. The barrels retain light faded browned finish and otherwise display a grey patina and distinct Damascus patterns. The engraving at the breech ends is visible but worn, and the rib signature and engraved matting is clear. The action retains faded traces of original casehardened finish throughout with stronger traces on the water table, around the fences and bolsters, and beneath the toplever. The toplever retains 75% original blued finish. The trigger plate retains 30% faded original casehardened finish, and the trigger guard retains faded traces of original blued finish on the inside surface. The engraving is clear throughout, with some slight softening of the deep chiseled vignettes. The heel and toe plate retain nearly all of their replated gold finish with a few slight blemishes to the metal. The reoiled wood is also fine has well-defined multi-point checkering and some minor handling marks throughout. Mechanically excellent. This Greener pigeon gun is over a century old, and the quality of the craftsmanship in terms of the gun making and decoration have withstood the test of time leaving us a fabulous example of an opulent late Edwardian sporting gun.

Details

ManufacturerWW Greener

ModelFH60

TypeShotgun

Serial number

ClassCurio & Relic Long Gun

Caliber / Gauge12

Barrel27 inch solid rib

Finishbrown/gold/blue/casehardened

Stockwalnut

Item LocationRock Island, IL