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A. A Purdey shotgun
Once upon a time, in 1990, a Purdey emerged in Vienna, serial nr. 18098, nr one
of a pair, built 1904.
It has now been once more on the market at the local Viennese auction house.
Between these 2 dates at least 3 different owners.
I took a look on it.
The action with 120% hardening colour, appearing as if it did leave the hardening
stove yesterday. The rims around the sideplates equidistant and crisp into the
droppoints.
Barrels reblacked and barrelflats polished.
No corromarks around the plunger holes on the removable discs.
The 2 barrel tube numbers at the forepart hook and the proof correspond to the
serial nr and thus original barrels.
No barrels measurements given/known.
Touching/handling the gun only with auction house supplied white gloves.
It seems the auctioneer has learned the lesson.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
....
Hammerprice : 12 KE, gross 15,36 KE.
...
The pairing gun nr. 2 built for the same owner 1910.
This has been on the market beginning the 2000's at a London auction.
The system bright, no trace of a colour, with new barrels in the 1970's.
Estimate 4-6 KGBP.
....
One may ask how come such striking life-time differencies
between "zwei Schwesterflinten".
There are two possible answers/options:
1. the nr. one is simply botoxed, i.e. recoloured,restocked, reblacked
to give it a new look/appearance
OR
2. its multiple owners had it stored away in bank-vaults for more than
a century , opening for just an occasional look and see and feel.
...
I have a strong notion against option two.
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B. Erzsi's heritage items
In a preceeding post I had this long story on a Kalezky nr. 3 gun
presumably belonging to this lady.
The same Viennese auction house has once/twice a year an auction on
"Kaiserhaus & Historica" (Emperorhouse & historica).
In the next auction 3 lots with provenance of Erzsi/descendants.
2 jewelry lots, gifts of the empress to her granddaughter Erzsi.
The third lot a framed photo of her wedding, with her signature
and that of her husband.
There is a 4th lot, a massive and elaborately worked 12/24 silver cutlery,
8,8 kg silver weight, by the court supplier M & K.
A present of the imperial couple to the nanny of Erzsi's father.
...
I am wondering on the mere coincidence of these lots with the recent
sale of this Kalezky nr. 3 gun in another auction house (JSE) of Vienna.
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F.N.

Last edited by felix; 06/10/22 01:37 PM.