6. Lefever Arms Company D-Grade Sidelock Double Shotgun
serial #12471, 12ga., 28" barrels choked improved cylinder and cylinder with about excellent bores showing one or two minor pits and a couple light dings and an old professionally raised dent. The barrels exhibit fading damascus pattern and are primarily a mottled pewter and brown patina, also with some minor oxidation staining. The D-grade engraved frame is primarily a pewter color with some minor sparse oxidation staining while the lockplates and area behind the fences retain perhaps 95-97% original case colors which are quite vivid in spots. The engraving is unmistakably D-grade and the fences are chiseled in the familiar fleur-de-lis patterns. This early Lefever features the push-button forend release and pivoting top lever. The checkered capped pistolgrip English walnut buttstock rates very good to near excellent with only minor overall dings and handling marks and much original varnish, the splinter style forend shows an old light refinish and rates very good. The length of pull to the original Lefever Arms Company hard rubber buttplate is 14" with drops of 1 7/8" and 3 1/2". The oval monogram plate on the toeline is engraved "Presented to Robt S. Odell By His Father Hiram Odell". Robert S. Odell, was born about 1850 in Hopewell in Ontario County, NY and went West to Illinois at the age of twenty one with his father, Hiram Odell, who located at River Forest in 1871. He was an officer with the Continental Fire Insurance Company. An interesting feature is located on the water table of this gun. The grade stamping appears to have been cut out, there is a small square section which had to be hand-cut. The "D" which would've been stamped here has been replaced with a capital letter "C". We have no idea why, the engraving is unmistakably D-grade engraving. It was done many years ago, during the period of use. The gun locks up tight and the mechanism functions well; an extremely thin sliver of light can barely be detected between the right breech face and standing breech. Both firing pin bushings should be re-seated. Really a lovely, and likely usable D-grade Lefever. (34290-30) {ANTIQUE} (1800/2200) SOLD FOR $1265.00 |
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