The makers have kindly confirmed that this rare shotgun, marketed by Beesley as the ‘Shotover’, was sold on 24 September 1924 to an S. Aldrich Esq. (possibly an American) for £150. The records also note the barrels as having no rib and measuring 29 ¾ inches. British shotgun authors Geoffrey & Susan Boothroyd in their book “The British Over-And-Under Shotgun” (The Sportsman’s Press, 1996), pp. 30-32, suggest that fewer than twenty examples of this rare but well-conceived early over/under shotgun were produced. Beesley, inventor and original patentee in 1880 of the famous Purdey action, designed his over/under shotgun just before the outbreak of World War I, registering six patents between January 9, 1913 and January 9, 1914. A unique feature of Beesley’s design was his solution to the problem of a conventional lock’s oblique blows to the firing pin for the lower barrel by effectively turning the left lock mechanism upside down. As the Boothroyds comment, the Beesley over/under is a magnificent gun but was complicated and suffered from a lack of development due to the very small number produced, a casualty of the Great War as so many of Beesley’s intended customers never returned from the war. The upper barrel is signed “F. BEESLEY. 2. ST. JAMES’S STREET. LONDON.” on a short sighting flat with an extension for a rising third bite similar to the Rigby & Bissell design, engraved with scrollwork at the breech end, and with bead front sight. The casehardened rounded action is signed “BEESLEY’S PATENT” on the underside and has a blued toplever and automatic safety with gold inlaid “SAFE”. The back action sidelocks are each signed “F. BEESLEY/PATENT/LONDON” with a crown. The furniture comprises a blued trigger guard, casehardened trigger plate and blued forearm release lever. The shotgun is engraved in low relief with foliate scrollwork against a matted ground. The barrels and action are struck with London nitro proof marks (hidden beneath the right side forearm fillet). The lower barrel is import marked (covered by the forearm). The well-figured walnut straight hand stock has a leather wrapped recoil pad, carved drop points and panels of multi-point checkering to the grip and permanently attached forearm. The underside of the butt has a blank silver oval initial escutcheon. Barrel and stock measurements (O/U): 2 3/4 inch chambers (extended since proofing at 2 1/2 inches); bore diameter nine inches from the breech both proved at 12 (.729 inches) and measure .732/.733 inches; choke constriction .020/.020 inches; minimum wall thickness .022/.024 inches; 1 5/16 inch drop at comb; 2 1/8 inch drop at heel; 14 9/16 inch length of pull; weight 7 lbs. Provenance: The Malcolm King Collection

Very good. The barrels retain 98% reblued finish and a clear signature and engraved decoration to the breech ends. The action retains 85% strong casehardened finish and crisp and clear engraving throughout. The toplever and trigger guard each retain near 100% reblued finish. The re-oiled stock is also very good and has occasional minor scattered age related storage and handling marks and well-defined checkering. Mechanically excellent.