A FINE .500 (3IN. BLACK POWDER EXPRESS) DOUBLE-BARRELLED HAMMER RIFLE BY J. DICKSON, NO. 3293

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Geoffrey Boothroyd was one of the greatest contemporary authorities on the history and development of the sporting gun and with other eminent authorities such as Christopher Brunker, David Baker and Ian Crudgington kept alive the spirit of academic enquiry into British gun manufacture for many years. His death last year has left us all with a great sense of loss and it is with a mixture of sadness and pride that we now present the last items in his fascinating collection of sporting guns and shooting accessories. Geoffrey is probably best remembered for his regular column in Shooting Times which became a classic example of the type and, as all avid readers of the magazine will know, he was appointed armourer to James Bond by the authour Ian Fleming. Geoffrey had been a keen reader of the Bond books and had been critical of the guns used by Bond commenting 'I dislike a man who comes into contact with all sorts of formidable people using a .25 Beretta. This sort of gun really is a lady's gun, and not a very nice lady at that.' The response from Ian Fleming was entirely positive and Geoffrey was duly appointed armourer to Bond as Major Boothroyd. Surprizingly, neither met the other until many years later when Ian Fleming visited Glasgow for an interview on Scottish television. At the reception following the interview Fleming recalled that he and Geoffrey were photographed 'shooting' at one another! Geoffrey's interest in guns started very early on and he recalled, in an interview with Shooting Times in May 2000, 'My interest in firearms can be said to have started with the gift of a Webley air pistol from a favourite aunt...... I had to visit my local gunshop to buy pellets and in the course of time became quite friendly with the owner of the shop. He was a most kind man, generous with his time, and always ready to answer my endless questions.' These early experiences were to lead to the writing of something in the region of 2,000 articles and numerous books. Geoffrey was born in Preston in 1925 and spent a long working career with ICI. His association with this company served to reinforce his already quite profound knowledge of gun-making and it led, obviously, to a deep interest in cartridge and propellant manufacture. The accessories section in the forthcoming sale is a testament to his time with ICI and to his interest in the world of explosives. Geoffrey was a fine husband and father and is survived by his wife Nancy, to whom he was married for forty-five years, and a son and daughter, Simon and Susan. Susan collaborated with her father on many articles and on his later books and through her own continuing efforts upholds the enduring Boothroyd tradition. She, like her father, now writes gun and related articles on her own account in a perfect continuation of what has gone before. Geoffrey will be missed by many more people than the shooting public. For those of us who relied upon a solution to a perplexing gun problem he leaves behind a vacant place that will probably never be filled again.

Details

A FINE .500 (3IN. BLACK POWDER EXPRESS) DOUBLE-BARRELLED HAMMER RIFLE BY J. DICKSON, NO. 3293
The backlocks with bolted hammers, Jones patent rotary-underlever, the action-body with deeply-carved percussion fences, best foliate-scroll engraving with traces of hardening-colour, highly-figured stock with cheek-piece and engraved heel-and toe-plates, the triggerguard extending rearwards to form a skeletal pistolgrip, sling-eyes, the Henry-rifled barrels with matt sight-rib and open-sights
Weight 8lb. 11oz., 14½in. stock, 28in. barrels, London Black Powder proof

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The makers have kindly confirmed that the rifle was completed on 17th. November 1874

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