A Very Fine Cased 11 bore Double Barrelled Percussion Sporting Gun
With 31-inch sighted browned twist barrels signed on the top rib JOSEPH LANG & SONS, 22 COCKSPUR STREET, LONDON and numbered ‘2’, border and scroll engraved breeches with pierced platinum plugs engraved with a rosette, profusely scroll engraved tang with gold inlaid number ‘2’, border and scroll engraved locks signed JOSEPH LANG & SONS, highly figured walnut pistol grip half stock (knot repair to right side of butt), finely chequered wrist and fore end, scroll engraved blued iron furniture including butt plate with gold inlaid ‘2’, no provision for a ramrod, the whole gun retaining much original finish throughout, London proof marks and barrel maker’s mark TP for Thomas Parkin, in original leather bound two tier case lined in red baize and fitted for a pair of guns, with accessories including powder and shot flasks, the inside of the lid with trade label for c.1868-1880, the exterior with circular brass escutcheon.
Provenance: 1949 – William Keith Neal; 1953 – W.E. Munroe; 1965 P. England; Francis Lovell; Malcolm King
Notes: The makers, now Atkin Grant & Lang, have kindly confirmed from the old ledgers that the gun was completed on 10th September 1869. It would appear that the number 1 gun was s/n 3835, finished on 9th June 1869.
Joseph Lang sold the bankrupt stock of Joseph Manton guns and married the daughter of James Purdey in 1827. He exhibited at the Great Exhibition in 1851 and in 1867 was granted Patent no. 1785 for a breech-loader with drop down barrels. A fine pigeon shot, he died in 1869 by which time his sons were running the business.