52-Bore (.451 caliber). 36" round barrel secured by a wedge and two clamping barrel bands. S/N 330. Blued and color casehardened finish, smooth walnut stock. Single shot capping breechloading rifle with Westley Richards 8 groove polygonal rifling based upon Whitworth's mechanical rifling patent. Lock marked WESTLEY RICHARDS & Co / 1860 in two horizontal line. Breech lever marked WESTLEY RICHARDS / PATENT and with the serial number 330. Left of breech block with Birmingham commercial proof marks and a pair 52 bore gauge marks. Top of barrel marked WHITWORTH'S PATENT. Equipped with a folding ladder rear sight graduated to 1,100 yards and a dovetailed windage adjustable front blade sight. Includes the original cleaning rod with two cleaning jags in the butt trap. The wrist is mounted with an oval padded leather cheek rest secured by brass tacks. The reverse of the stock has an oval silver presentation plaque that reads: PRESENTED / BY / Sir Henry Fletcher Sr / August 11, 1860. Sir Henry Fletcher (1835-1910) was the 4th Baronet of Clea. He served as a Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards in the British Regular Army and after retirement was appointed to the position of supernumerary Lt. Colonel of the 2nd Sussex Rifle Volunteers. He became the battalion command in 1882 and in 1897 became the Colonel of Sussex & Kent Volunteer Infantry Brigade, which he commanded until 1904. This rifle was presented as a prize roughly a month after the first British NRA annual rifle match was shot at Wimbledon, which featured Queen Victoria firing the first shot. The Westley Richards Monkey Tail design was one of the most successful capping breechloaders to be produced during the mid 19th century, the proof of which is that the guns remained in production well into the metallic cartridge era of the 1880s and saw use for even longer. The guns were particularly popular with the Boer's of South Africa and they saw effective use against British forces during the various Boer Wars. The defeat of some 647 British soldiers armed with Martini-Henry Rifles by a group of about 500 Boers at the Battle of Majuba was primarily attributed to the superior marksmanship of the Boer's with their Monkey Tail Rifles. Condition: Very good. Metal with a moderately oxidized mostly plum brown and gray patina with some traces of blue. Lock and breech lever mostly a silvery gray color. Markings remain clear and crisp. Mechanically functional, very good bore with strong rifling and moderate oxidation is quite dirty and need to be cleaned. Stock with scattered bumps, dings and mars with moderate overall wear. Silver plaque heavily tarnished.
52-Bore (.451 caliber). 36" round barrel secured by a wedge and two clamping barrel bands. S/N 330. Blued and color casehardened finish, smooth walnut stock. Single shot capping breechloading rifle with Westley Richards 8 groove polygonal rifling based upon Whitworth's mechanical rifling patent. Lock marked WESTLEY RICHARDS & Co / 1860 in two horizontal line. Breech lever marked WESTLEY RICHARDS / PATENT and with the serial number 330. Left of breech block with Birmingham commercial proof marks and a pair 52 bore gauge marks. Top of barrel marked WHITWORTH'S PATENT. Equipped with a folding ladder rear sight graduated to 1,100 yards and a dovetailed windage adjustable front blade sight. Includes the original cleaning rod with two cleaning jags in the butt trap. The wrist is mounted with an oval padded leather cheek rest secured by brass tacks. The reverse of the stock has an oval silver presentation plaque that reads: PRESENTED / BY / Sir Henry Fletcher Sr / August 11, 1860. Sir Henry Fletcher (1835-1910) was the 4th Baronet of Clea. He served as a Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards in the British Regular Army and after retirement was appointed to the position of supernumerary Lt. Colonel of the 2nd Sussex Rifle Volunteers. He became the battalion command in 1882 and in 1897 became the Colonel of Sussex & Kent Volunteer Infantry Brigade, which he commanded until 1904. This rifle was presented as a prize roughly a month after the first British NRA annual rifle match was shot at Wimbledon, which featured Queen Victoria firing the first shot. The Westley Richards Monkey Tail design was one of the most successful capping breechloaders to be produced during the mid 19th century, the proof of which is that the guns remained in production well into the metallic cartridge era of the 1880s and saw use for even longer. The guns were particularly popular with the Boer's of South Africa and they saw effective use against British forces during the various Boer Wars. The defeat of some 647 British soldiers armed with Martini-Henry Rifles by a group of about 500 Boers at the Battle of Majuba was primarily attributed to the superior marksmanship of the Boer's with their Monkey Tail Rifles. Condition: Very good. Metal with a moderately oxidized mostly plum brown and gray patina with some traces of blue. Lock and breech lever mostly a silvery gray color. Markings remain clear and crisp. Mechanically functional, very good bore with strong rifling and moderate oxidation is quite dirty and need to be cleaned. Stock with scattered bumps, dings and mars with moderate overall wear. Silver plaque heavily tarnished.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
