*Note the weight and the full and full chokes and that the gun is nitro proofed!

*The Jones lock up was considered by many of the strongest of the English lockups, but many did not like the under lever finding it a bit awkward. James Lang invented a way to use a top lever but with the Jones under bite basically combining the best of both worlds. They found this design too time consuming to produce so actually made very few of them, making this gun a perfect and rare example.

*This gun handles wonderfully and feels between the hands much lighter than it actually is.

*This gun dates from the mid 1880's thus can be shipped direct.

Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield was appointed Lord of the Bedchamber to Edward, Prince of Wales (to become King Edward VII), to whom he was a close friend. Lord of the bedchamber??? Is that for real??? He later was chief of staff to the Prince of Wales during the Prince's expedition to India in 1875–1876. The 3-feather insignia of the Prince of Wales is engraved between the hammers of the rifle. The inscription on the rib helps us to place the year of manufacture to 1873 or 1874, so the rifle was no doubt ordered for this trip. The Oval is engraved with the family crest and motto.

*Lord of the Bedchamber is an ancient appointment to the Monarch, basically in modern speak, he would be a confidante of the Monarch , A trusted friend, and his role originally was to help dress the Monarch, guarding access to his bedchamber ,generally waiting on him. The main role was to be a friend. Lord Suffield was Master of the Robes at the coronation of Edward V11 in 1902. He married firstly Cecilia Annetta Baring (of the banking family) in 1854. in 1911 following her death he married again. He owned 12000 acres in Norfolk (Gunton Park). Lord Suffield 5th Baron died in 1914 The family crest was a shield with ermine crown on top and the family motto was Aequanimiter ..obviously Latin …for "Even Minded" The bores are extremely good (excellent) with very strong rifling. Some pitting around the breach and extractor. The wide rear V-notch sight is inlaid with a platinum pointer. Along with the expected stocking safeties there is an unusual lever safety which locks the trigger. We haven't seen this before.

The gun has had some stock work done over the years. There is a rather obvious but vintage and effective stock repair to a very old split in front of the sling swivel. The leather cheek piece could very well be original. The vintage horn and Silvers recoil pad may one day require some more attention.

The case itself retains its original case label, charge label, and contains an excellent array of tools and accessories including the proper bullet mold. These also include a chamber brush and oil bottle by Hawksley, a priming tool by W. Bartram, and powder measure among others.

A fine piece of British history that would make an excellent addition to any collection.

*The Lord of the bedchamber is a very old title first used in 1718. This involved assisting the monarch in dressing, waiting on him while he ate, and guarding access to his bed chamber. Holders of this position were considered to be extremely close and trusted confidants. In the later 1800s this position evolved to mean more as the position evolved to become quite powerful.

*This gun balances perfectly on the hinge pin. She comes up extremely natural and without effort.

*This Purdey is unique in that it has two major features from the gunmaker James Woodward. The 29"-barrel length which was promoted by Woodward and the patent cocking indicators Woodward is known for. The Ledger says "Boss on tumbler axles – they look like Woodward cocking-indicators."

Nick Harlow from Purdey's was kind enough to share the following information from the Purdey Ledger:

No. 21066

Completed: 22nd February 1915

For: G.J.R. Cooper

Description: No. 3 of a trio of hammerless ejector game guns

Weight: 6lb. 10½oz.

Calibre: 12-bore

Barrels: 29in. Whitworth Steel

Choke: Tight Cyl & Mod

Stock: 14½in.

Notes:

Rocker safeties

Boss on tumbler axles – they look like Woodward cocking-indicators

We have priced this Purdey extremely attractively and if you see one of our competitors has one for 10K more know there is a 90% chance ours is as good a gun or better than theirs.

*The photo's for some reason (the bright harsh lights I think) make the sidelocks look polished and super bright. In person they are not that way at all. We will attempt so new pictures soon.

Records show the barrels were reduced to 26" in the Purdey shop and choked for close game shooting. Light and well balanced this one you will never let go of once you get your hands on it.

*If the stock extension is not to your style, we can easily remove it replace it with a best English style leather covered pad. This takes three to four weeks is all and allows one to adjust the gun to their favorite length of pull in the process.

The choking is Ben's preferred constrictions, by coincidence (or maybe not as Ben has had a huge influence on my hunting )the same as mine for upland!

My esteemed close friend and helper Jason Bartel at the Great Northern shoot a few weeks ago picked this gun off the table there and shot the main event, putting over a case and a half shells through it. He proclaimed it did not even have one hickup and gave him a very high score. He would like to have the gun but alas he has four children which are not even near college age yet so is not a place to purchase it. If you would like to buy this for Jason, I am sure he would forever be in your debt or perhaps if you purchase you could let him use it once in a while.

All kidding aside, this is a very nice vintage Purdey with great providence and proof of present and excellent reference for future reliability in the field. There is a story from a past issue of Covey Rise which features this fine double. I am in the process of getting a copy.

*In the interest in disclosing all information on this gun, when we got it there was a hairline crack going with the grain on the left side mid-stock. It stopped after about 3". We successfully invisibly repaired it and it obviously is holding up as with Jasons 300 plus shells through it, it is holding strong.

In its original makers case this fine shotgun would make a superb upland gun. I personally would open the right barrel to skeet and it would be ready to go! We can get this done for only $85.00 and quickly.

*See the gold crown on the bottom of the receiver. This indicates the gun is their high "Imperial" grade.

*The gun is set up for Skeet with its very straight stock and skeet chokes. The LOP could be made up to 14 1/2" if a pad were added.

*We have priced this gun based only on the gun's features, so we are not charging a dime for the verbal history that goes with it. If you believe you could help me document the story, I would really appreciate it as I am a huge Sinatra fan and would keep the gun and use it for myself! I keep an autographed fan photo of Sinatra in my office which is by me now as I am writing about this gun.

*This gun was made in 1887 so we can ship direct!

I knew George Reeb who had a fascinating business of restoring jet aircraft and putting them back into service like new. He collected the Reeb guns of his ancestors and had accumulated a magnificent collection as Reeb guns were known for being of the highest quality with ornamentation. I wonder what became of his collection? It is obviously possible this is a gun he owned at one time and was a part of his collection. He left us many years ago, a close friend to Bob Jones, my mentor., also long past.

This fine shotgun features a single select Miller trigger and note it is proofed for 2 3/4" shells.

*Note the rolled trigger guard and the locks featuring cocking indicators. This gun obviously has not seen a lot of use in its life and is a super value for a true between the wars London sidelock.

*if stock extensions are not your thing, we can arrange this to be removed and replaced with a leather covered or conventional pad quite easily.

The stock dimensions are great for many, being quite modern for a vintage gun. The gun having been built before 1899 qualifies as antique so it can be shipped directly to you with no ffl required.

Normally this gun would be in the 6-8K range but due to some very minor surface pitting in places on the action (see the pictures, super minor) we can offer this beauty for only 4600.00. A super London high grade sidelock at almost a boxlock price. For the hunter that wants a high-quality gun that he or she is not afraid to take in the field this is a super opportunity. The gun is super tight and field ready.

After seeing my write up on this gun received this email from our famous hunting/naturalist gun writer friend concerning this gun:

"Wow Kirby, What a beautiful gun. I love Lang guns. You forgot to mention in the write up that it is stocked to the fences and has absolutely perfect chokes for a game gun. Cheers, George"

*At the recent Great Northern SxS event in WI, Travis, our gun photographer used this gun in the main event. He fired 375 rounds through the gun with out even the slightest hiccup. He said the gun felt deceptively light for its weight due to its exceptional balance and shot extremely well.

The leather cheek piece is authentic and in very good condition. No,10183. - John Brigg 11 December 1896

The condition of this gun is very nice. It features a Purdey style hidden third bite and also the slender Churchill rib which I particularly like.

*Note the great modern stock dimensions.

*I love the elegant wood on this gun.

*Completed in 1899.

Completed in England in 1912, the peak of some of England's best gun making.

Overall, this gun is ready to use as is or with some light restoration could be a real showstopper. We are pricing it very attractively in the as is condition. Most Evans sidelocks are in the 4-8K range.

The gold initial shield has a very or special family crest that would worth researching! See photograph of it .

This gun features an articulated front trigger and bushed firing pins.

The stock is very clean, straight grained walnut with inscribed oval. There has been a small repair done to the toe at some point in the gun's life.

This is a very nice example of an English sidelock. It is well balanced and feels great between the hands as any well made gun should.

I did not know much of this maker so I did some sleuthing on internet and actually found quite a lot:

Built between 1901 and 1905 by address's on rib William Atkinson was the son of Joseph Atkinson of Lancaster. He was born in 1851. By 1871 William had joined his father in the business in Lancaster, but in about 1874 he opened his own business at 52 Stricklandgate, Kendal, Westmoreland; in about 1878 this moved to 8 All Hallows Lane. There may have been a branch of the firm in Preston. In 1874 William and his wife (Eleanor b. 1850) had a son, Joseph Harvey Atkinson, and in 1876 another, Arthur Falder Atkinson (both born in Kendal), they both worked in the business as gunmaker's assistants, there were also had two daughters born in Kendal, Edith (b.1873) and Maud (b.1878) who appear to have worked in the business. In 1881 Joseph Atkinson retired and William took over the business in Lancaster re-naming it William Atkinson. In about 1885 the firm moved to 20 Market Street, between 1890 and 1901 they took over the adjoining premises at 18 Market Street. Between 1890 and 1894 the business in Kendal moved to 58 Highgate. Joseph Atkinson died in the late 1890s, and in 1900 the firm Lancaster business was re-named William Atkinson & Sons. By this time the firm had a substantial trade in bicycles. In about 1901 a branch was opened at 11 Skipton Street, Morecambe, Lancashire. This was probably run by one of the sons, it appears to have closed in about 1905. Between 1901 and 1905 the Kendal business became known as Atkinson & Griffin, it appears to have ceased trading in 1925. Between about 1905 and 1909 the firm in Lancaster occupied premises in North Road. In about 1935 the firm moved to 26 Market Street, Lancaster, but the Lancaster business appears to have closed in 1940. In 1955 Thomas Atkinson & Sons was recorded at 19a Stricklandgate, Kendal. Thomas Atkinson was certainly related, perhaps only distantly. The firm appears to have closed in about 1985.

*You know this old girl has seen plenty of service and she does show some scars in handling marks in the wood and blue thinning in places. She would be a great candidate for a light restoration or used and appreciated as is. This gun I noted when first operated did not have auto ejectors. I really like this as having auto ejectors is really one more thing to go wrong and truly in the upland field unnecessary. I will get some flack over this, I am sure! I will agree to disagree.

*You may note the minimum wall thickness is on the thin side but this is found where there is little pressure near the muzzle as demonstrated by its fairly recent reproof in London in 2005. The bores have not been modified since that reproof.

This gun dates from 1907.