There are very few pictures of early E Grade Lefevers in the sporting press, or even in books on Lefevers, but the March-April 2004 Shooting Sportsman pictures one on page 51 in Rick Pratt's excellent article on Pigeon Guns. The picture, taken by my friend Berle Cherney, is of my Grandfathers 1887 E Grade Pigeon Gun, #10,130, which he apparently bought new when he was a prosperous 31 year old businessman in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. The picture fairly clearly shows the plain sideplates and small scroll rosettes and engraved screws which are its only metal decoration. The wood, wonderful very streaky English Walnut, leaves no doubt that it is an E Grade, further documented by the E marking on the water table. I have owned this great gun since 1957 when my late uncle sent it to me by Railway Express, unannounced, quite a surprise for an 11 year old, just getting involved with bird hunting and double guns. Bill Murphy
