*RAYMOND GUEST’S VERY FINE PURDEY BEST SIDELOCK EJECTOR PIGEON GUN.

*RAYMOND GUEST’S VERY FINE PURDEY BEST SIDELOCK EJECTOR PIGEON GUN. SN 24191. Lots 1333, 1334 & 1335 were owned by the internationally known sportsman and Ernest Hemingway confidant, Winston Franklin Churchill Guest. Winston Guest and his celebrity wife “CZ” Cochrane Guest were married at Hemingway’s house “Finca Vigia” in Havana in 1947 with Hemingway as best man. Guest and the American government outfitted Hemingway’s sportfisher “Pilar” during the much chronicled hunt for German U-boats in the Gulf Stream during WWII and was one of the crew. The Hemingway double rifle aboard “Pilar” which Julia’s sold in the March 2011 auction for $339,250 was a gift from “Wolfie” as Hemingway called him. The two hunted extensively together in the Americas and made several trips to Africa. English born Guest was a ten goal polo player who led Yale’s polo team to the intercollegiate championship. He became an American citizen at age 21 in order to play on the USA international polo team. He won the International Polo Cup for America against England in 1930. 1936, and 1939, versus Argentina in 1928 and 1932, and against Mexico in 1941. His grandmother was Lady Cornelia Spencer – Churchill, daughter of John Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough. He was Godson, second cousin and namesake of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Cal. 12 ga. 2-3/4″ Chambers. Factory records indicate completed in August 1931 for Raymond Guest, US Ambassador to Ireland and Winston Guest’s brother. Nicely struck 30″ chopper lump bbls with concave matted high rib, are engraved with Purdey Audley House address, and Whitworth Steel information on tops. Rear of rib, top lever, and forend iron are engraved with “3”. Bbl flats are stamped with London nitro proofs for 2-3/4″. Bottoms of bbls are stamped with “Choke”, SNs, and bbl makers initials “J.W” (Joe Watts). Tube nos. 60200 and 60201 are on loop. Splinter is engraved “Made in England”. Heavy Beesley patent self-opening sidelock action features automatic safety (SAFE inlaid in gold), bushed strikers, Purdey third fastener, side clips, raised rib tumbler end cocking indicators, and articulated front trigger. Action is engraved with Purdey house style rose bouquet and scroll with “J. Purdey & Sons” engraved on lockplates and bottom of action. Scroll engraved trigger guard has SN at grip, and is fitted with leather recoil shield at rear of bow. Nicely marbled and lightly figured European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 15-3/8″ over ribbed horn buttplate. Stock features drop points, 20 LPI point pattern checkering with mullered borders, and vacant silver oval on toe line. Matching splinter ejector forend has Anson release, Actioners initials “H-L” (Harry Lawrence) are on iron. Bore diameter: left -.732, right -.732. Bore restrictions: left -.024 with .002 recess, right -.017. Wall thickness: left -.032, right -.032. Drop at heel: 2-1/8″, drop at comb: 1-1/2″. Weight: 7 lbs. 5.5 oz. LOP 15-3/8″. Brown leather “Universal” case is lined in red cloth with reproduction Purdey label. PROVENANCE: One of three Purdey guns obtained by the consignor directly from the family of Winston Guest. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbls retain nearly all of an old re-black. Action and lockplates are mostly pewter gray with traces of case color in protected areas. Trigger guard and top lever retain most of an old charcoal blue with engraving slightly washed. Screws show some use, and have been fire blued. Buttstock is a replacement, by Purdey in 1967, and retains nearly all of its rubbed oil finish. Orig forend wood matches this finish with some oil in borders of checkering. Bores are very fine, with some very light pitting evident at breech ends of bbls, and slightly frosted toward muzzles. Action is tight. Bbls are on face. Ejectors are in time. Case is excellent. A good solid well balanced gun, built during what some acknowledge as the best period of English gun making, and actioned by Harry Lawrence himself! 4-40349 MGM30 (20,000-30,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1335	$0.00	RAYMOND GUEST’S VERY FINE PURDEY BEST SIDELOCK EJECTOR PIGEON GUN. SN 24191. Lots 1333, 1334 & 1335 were owned by the internationally known sportsman and Ernest Hemingway confidant, Winston Franklin Churchill Guest. Winston Guest and his celebrity wife “CZ” Cochrane Guest were married at Hemingway’s house “Finca Vigia” in Havana in 1947 with Hemingway as best man. Guest and the American government outfitted Hemingway’s sportfisher “Pilar” during the much chronicled hunt for German U-boats in the Gulf Stream during WWII and was one of the crew. The Hemingway double rifle aboard “Pilar” which Julia’s sold in the March 2011 auction for $339,250 was a gift from “Wolfie” as Hemingway called him. The two hunted extensively together in the Americas and made several trips to Africa. English born Guest was a ten goal polo player who led Yale’s polo team to the intercollegiate championship. He became an American citizen at age 21 in order to play on the USA international polo team. He won the International Polo Cup for America against England in 1930. 1936, and 1939, versus Argentina in 1928 and 1932, and against Mexico in 1941. His grandmother was Lady Cornelia Spencer – Churchill, daughter of John Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough. He was Godson, second cousin and namesake of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Cal. 12 ga. 2-3/4″ Chambers. Factory records indicate completed in August 1931 for Raymond Guest, US Ambassador to Ireland and Winston Guest’s brother. Nicely struck 30″ chopper lump bbls with concave matted high rib, are engraved with Purdey Audley House address, and Whitworth Steel information on tops. Rear of rib, top lever, and forend iron are engraved with “3”. Bbl flats are stamped with London nitro proofs for 2-3/4″. Bottoms of bbls are stamped with “Choke”, SNs, and bbl makers initials “J.W” (Joe Watts). Tube nos. 60200 and 60201 are on loop. Splinter is engraved “Made in England”. Heavy Beesley patent self-opening sidelock action features automatic safety (SAFE inlaid in gold), bushed strikers, Purdey third fastener, side clips, raised rib tumbler end cocking indicators, and articulated front trigger. Action is engraved with Purdey house style rose bouquet and scroll with “J. Purdey & Sons” engraved on lockplates and bottom of action. Scroll engraved trigger guard has SN at grip, and is fitted with leather recoil shield at rear of bow. Nicely marbled and lightly figured European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 15-3/8″ over ribbed horn buttplate. Stock features drop points, 20 LPI point pattern checkering with mullered borders, and vacant silver oval on toe line. Matching splinter ejector forend has Anson release, Actioners initials “H-L” (Harry Lawrence) are on iron. Bore diameter: left -.732, right -.732. Bore restrictions: left -.024 with .002 recess, right -.017. Wall thickness: left -.032, right -.032. Drop at heel: 2-1/8″, drop at comb: 1-1/2″. Weight: 7 lbs. 5.5 oz. LOP 15-3/8″. Brown leather “Universal” case is lined in red cloth with reproduction Purdey label. PROVENANCE: One of three Purdey guns obtained by the consignor directly from the family of Winston Guest. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbls retain nearly all of an old re-black. Action and lockplates are mostly pewter gray with traces of case color in protected areas. Trigger guard and top lever retain most of an old charcoal blue with engraving slightly washed. Screws show some use, and have been fire blued. Buttstock is a replacement, by Purdey in 1967, and retains nearly all of its rubbed oil finish. Orig forend wood matches this finish with some oil in borders of checkering. Bores are very fine, with some very light pitting evident at breech ends of bbls, and slightly frosted toward muzzles. Action is tight. Bbls are on face. Ejectors are in time. Case is excellent. A good solid well balanced gun, built during what some acknowledge as the best period of English gun making, and actioned by Harry Lawrence himself! 4-40349 MGM30 (20,000-30,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011 Please Note:* All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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