48.Rare Special Order Lefever DE Grade Sidelock Ejectorgun
serial #23326, 16 ga., 24" barrels both choked a light modified or a tight improved cylinder with bright, about excellent bores which show some scattered very sparse remnants of some very light pitting. The barrels retain a nice contrasting pewter and brown chain damascus pattern their full length and are marked "fine/damascus" on the right and left barrels respectively. The dolls head extension is lightly engraved and the breech areas showed the under-flowing reinforces common on higher grade guns. While rather short, the barrels very nearly touch at their muzzles and have about 3" of choke, therefore it is unlikely these barrels were ever shortened. The frame is a smoky pewter on its belly with strong remnants of original colors behind the fences and mottled fading gray-blue colors atop the action. The lockplates retain perhaps 25-30% original colors, fading to a mottled smoky pewter gray. The 20 ga. frame and lockplates show excellent quality D-grade engraving with wonderful vignettes of hunting dogs. Indeed the bow of the guard shows an excellent depiction of hunting dog with bird in mouth. A very interesting gun, the original English walnut stock features an extended pistolgrip and has an astonishing amount of drop. The buttstock itself rates very good plus to near excellent showing a light cleaning and is now devoid of finish with a professionally repaired crack through the slend\\\\er wrist area. Pistolgrip features a scalloped hard rubber gripcap and the long tang of the triggerguard is engraved with the serial number "22326", obviously a factory error. Splinter style forend with hard rubber dog's head insert rates about very good showing slightly more wear and a few handling marks. The toeline features an un-engraved oval German silver monogram plate and the triggers retain strong remnants of their original gold plate. The current length of pull to the replacement Lefever Arms Company buttplate is 13 3/4". The drops are 3 3/8" and 4 5/8". While it was suggested that this may have been designed for a "wrong eye" shooter we have noted similarly designed rifles made for wheelchair-bound shooters. While the true purpose of this unique design may never truly be known it is obviously factory all the way. The gun locks up tight and the ejectors are robust The quality of the engraving is lovely. Estimates are that only 8% of Lefever production was 16 ga. guns, and it is estimated that only about 1700 D-grade guns were produced, making this quite a rarity among Lefevers. Really an interesting, and likely one-of-a kind Lefever DE grade double. (4269-2) {ANTIQUE} (1800/2200) SOLD FOR $3450.00 |
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