Spring 2026 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction
February 26th, February 27th, February 28th, and March 1st, 2026
This auction will feature an outstanding collection of items spanning multiple categories including Modern, Military, Sporting, & Antique firearms & militaria! Below is just a small grouping of select highlights from the massive offering to be featured in this upcoming sale!
BEST QUALITY PLAIN FINISH JAMES PURDEY BAR-IN-WOOD HAMMER GUN WITH SCARCE DAW LEVER ACTION
01-27222 | Cal. 12 Ga. 2-3/4″. | S# 10321.
Many feel that the bar-in-wood hammer gun is the most elegant breechloading shotgun ever produced. Other people believe that the addition of engraving on a fine gun only hides the evidence of fine gunmaking. This best, plain finish gun has 30″ three striped Damascus barrels engraved “J. Purdey & Sons 314 1/2 Oxford Street. London.” on very narrow swamped game rib. Rear portion of rib is engraved “CHOKE”. Barrel flats are stamped with London black powder proofs “NOT FOR BALL” and with chokes “12B 13M” both barrels. Chambers measure 2-3/4″ and do not appear to have been lengthened. Bar-in-wood action has fences filed in best quality manner and is fitted with front spring locks having serpentine rebounding hammers. Action has Purdey type underbolts actuated by a lever over guard of a type the factory refers to as “Daw lever” which gives superior hand access compared to either the normal top lever or the, popular at the time, “thumb hole”. Action, locks and hammers are unengraved except for maker’s name on each lockplate and “Patent” on top. Trigger plate has ball finial and trigger guard is engraved with S# on tang. Bar-in-wood buttstock, so called because wood runs under lockplates almost all the way to the hinge pin covering most of the action bar (structural part connecting hinge and standing breech); made of well marbled and stump figured European walnut measures 14-7/8″ over 2-3/4″ lengthening piece fitted to the original curve of the stock (consignor states factory records indicate this gun was originally made with approx. 12-1/2″ LOP). This lengthening piece is exceptionally well fitted and grain matches very well. Butt is correctly shaped and nicely checkered in correct Purdey fashion. Point pattern checkering is at grip and a silver oval on toeline is monogrammed “CFB” (?). Oval is set at the usual distance of approx. 3″ from original toe of stock. Matching splinter forend has Anson release. MEASUREMENTS: BBLS: Bore Diameter: L .730. R .731. Restriction: L .027 (IMod). R .025 IMod). Wall thickness: L .024. R .026. STOCK: DAH: 2-3/16″. DAC: 1-1/2″. CAST: about 1/2″ off. LOP: 14-7/8″. WEIGHT: 7 lb. 7 oz. STATUS: ANTIQUE.
