2342

HIGH CONDITION J. P. SAUER BOXLOCK EJECTOR HEAVY

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
HIGH CONDITION J. P. SAUER BOXLOCK EJECTOR HEAVY
GAME GUN SPECIALLY FINISHED FOR ERNEST LOUIS, LAST GRAND DUKE OF HESSE-DARMSTADT BY LOUIS DELP, HOFBUCHSENMACHER. Cal. 12 Ga. S# 193445. Bbls. 29 1/8" shoe lump w/ nicely matted concave game rib are engraved "J. P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl" on rib. Tops of bbls. are engraved w/ Krupp special steel 3 ring logos. Inlaid gold lines at breech end. Crossbolt rib extension is inlaid "I", as gun is No. 1 of a pair. ("II" is also in this auction) w/ "I" on top lever & forend tip. Bbl. flats are stamped w/ Prussian nitro proofs & w/ crown. A sling eye is screwed to bottom rib. Casehardened boxlock action features automatic safety & dbl. triggers (front articulated), along w/ a crossbolt third fastener. Action & bbls. procured from Sauer were finished & engraved by Delp w/ distinctive ogee back to action. Engraving consists of 80% coverage varying size scroll w/ geometric borders. Top of action has lg. open scroll in matted background. "LOUIS DELP HOFBUCHSENMACHER" is in oval on left side of action & "IN. DARMSTARDT" is in similar device on right. Trigger guard is of horn. Nicely fiddle figured & lightly veined European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14" over brown leather covered pad. Stock features drop points & point pattern checkering at grip. A sling eye is on toeline along w/ gold oval engraved w/ monogram "EL" flanked by date "19" "13" all surmounted by a sovereigns crown. (The mother of Ernest Louis was Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria & Albert. She died in 1878 & Ernest Louis spent much of his childhood w/ the Queen in England. (A complete history is in provenance.) Matching splinter ejector forend has Anson release. Bore diameter: left - .724, choke .036 (full), right - .727, choke .023 (mod). Wall thickness: left - .034, right - .032. DAC: 1 9/16". DAH: 2 1/2". Cast about 1/4" off. LOP: 14". WEIGHT: 6 lbs. 14 oz. CONDITION: very close to new. Bbls. retain over 97% original blue w/ just a hint of high edge wear. Action retains over 90% original casehardening color, slightly silvered on fences & beads. Top lever thumb piece is slightly silvered. Stocks retain nearly all of what appears to be their original finish, perhaps lightly freshened w/ added oil at time of installation of newer pad. Checkering also shows light freshening. Bores are excellent. Action is tight. Bbls. are on face. Ejectors are very slightly out of time. An unusual & elegant gun. (19-5438/MGM8). CURIO. $4,000-6,000.