doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lockplates for Review - An Answer from Purdey

I picked this pair of lockplates out of a box of miscellaneous parts that came from a gunsmiths estate. I'd be interested in everyone's comments. The plate are both numbered 8255 0n the other side.
Jim

For island locks.

I can't tell for sure but the name on them might be E.M. Reilly. If that's what they are they most likely came off a very nice gun...Geo

I'm guessing Island Lock plates for an old Purdey.

Bingo!

Do you suspect them to be faked up or something else?

For clarification purposes here the lockplates are clearly stamped Purdey. They are also nicely made and engraved which doesn't show up very well with my photography.
Jim

Now only if you had the rest of the Purdey to go with it. That would of been quite the find!

BTW, your photobucket library is very interesting Herr Oberst.

I received this email from James Purdey & Sons. this morning.
Jim



Dear Mr Mxxxxxx,

Your lock plates belonged to 10 bore Purdey best quality double barrel breech loading hammer gun no.8255 & have found the following information:
Completed in 1870 for The Earl of Normanton.
31 5/8" Damascus steel barrels.
Back action.
Centre fire.
Under lever opening.

I hope this information is interesting.

Yours sincerely



David Maynard


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very nice find. They might look good trimming a trophy at a vintage shotgun-shoot or a custom table lamp but without the original action action what other uses could they have they have?

I will make them up into a display. As I stated earlier they are nicely engraved and to me an example of firearms art.
Jim

Below is the biography on the apparent original owner:

James Agar, 3rd Earl of Normanton

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James Charles Herbert Welbore Ellis Agar, 3rd Earl of Normanton (17 September 1818 � 19 December 1896),[1] styled Viscount Somerton until 1868, was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.

He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was president of the University Pitt Club.[2] He was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Wilton at an unopposed by-election in 1841, and was re-elected unopposed in 1847. He stood down from the House of Commons at the 1852 general election.[3]

References[edit]

1.Jump up ^ "House of Commons constituencies beginning with "W" (part 4)". Leigh Rayment's House of Commons pages. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
2.Jump up ^ Fletcher, Walter Morley (2011) [1935]. The University Pitt Club: 1835-1935 (First Paperback ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-1-107-60006-5.
3.Jump up ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832�1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 333. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.

External links[edit]
Hansard 1803�2005: contributions in Parliament by the Earl of Normanton
James Charles Herbert Welbore Ellis Agar, 3rd Earl of Normanton at ThePeerage.com


Parliament of the United Kingdom

Preceded by
Viscount FitzHarris Member of Parliament for Wilton
1841 � 1852 Succeeded by
Charles A'Court

Peerage of the United Kingdom

Preceded by
Welbore Agar Earl of Normanton
1868 � 1896 Succeeded by
Sidney James Agar