Thanks Campero - 25161 was discussed at the bottom of p.23. There are some odd things about its history so here are the comments reposted:

25161 been sent to me by a number of people including a couple of very prominent gun writers. It is a bar-in-wood 12 bore side lever with two sets of black powder proofed barrels - Shotgun and rifle. The SN is 25161.

Here's the problem. 25161 would have been serial numbered in Mid 1883 according to my chart. The case, however, shows is was a prize given by the King of Spain in Mid 1880. Here is the provenance from the original advertisement:

http://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/asp...4&saletype=
Estimate $15,000-20,000

.."We are kindly informed by the vendor that the gun has been in the
..possession of the family since it was purchased by his Great Grandfather,
..Mr Juan Agudo Valero in the 1880's.

.."His livestock business brought him into social circles of all levels, from
..contact with Royalty to a long lasting friendship with Manuel Mejis, a top
..bullfighter popularly called 'The Black Pope' and even extending to a friendship
..with Juan Camargo Gomez - a notorious bandit, known as 'TheVivillo' (to whom
..Juan sent emergency funds when forced to flee to Argentina to escape arrest)

"The gun was commissioned by King Alphonso XII and gifted as a prize for a
..'Throw' shooting competition (Live Pigeon match) by the King in 1880. Family
..tradition has it that the gun was won by an auspicious military man who was did
..not hunt or shoot as a pastime; the prize was bought from him by Juan - perhaps
..as a future gift for a person of influence. However, the gift was never realised and
..the gun has been passed down through the family ever since."

Well, something happened along the way from order to delivery and the story above sure seems odd. How could a military man who won the prize not hunt or shoot? And the "livestock business" sure has a feeling of marginality tending towards cattle rustling maybe? smile. Perhaps the gun was ordered in 1880 and not delivered until 1883? Perhaps the original gun was stolen and was replaced by Reilly? Or perhaps the case was stolen and the gun commissioned to replace the original. Whatever it is a beautiful gun and worth taking a look at.

[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

Last edited by Argo44; 07/18/21 04:22 PM.
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