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A fine .470 sidelock ejector rifle by J. Rigby & Co., no. 17777 In a brass-mounted leather case with J. Rigby & Co. trade-label image 1
A fine .470 sidelock ejector rifle by J. Rigby & Co., no. 17777 In a brass-mounted leather case with J. Rigby & Co. trade-label image 2
Lot 442S1

A fine .470 sidelock ejector rifle by J. Rigby & Co., no. 17777
In a brass-mounted leather case with J. Rigby & Co. trade-label

18 May 2017, 14:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £41,250 inc. premium

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A fine .470 sidelock ejector rifle by J. Rigby & Co., no. 17777

Treble-grip action-body, carved fences, best bold foliate-scroll engraving, traces of hardening-colour, the well-figured stock with pistolgrip, pistolgrip-cap and recoil-pad, sling-swivels, Rigby patent lever-latch forend, the chopper-lump barrels engraved Special .470 Bore Big Game Rifle, For Special Cordite Cartridge & Bullet 500 Grains with short file-cut sight-rib engraved John Rigby & Co., 43 Sackville St. London, Late St. James's St. in gothic script, with open-sights for 100, 200 & 300 yards and ramp-mounted white-metal bead-foresight
Weight 11lb. 2oz., 14¾in. pull (13¾in. stock), 28in. barrels, London nitro proof
In a brass-mounted leather case with J. Rigby & Co. trade-label

Footnotes

The makers have kindly confirmed that the rifle was completed in 1912 for the Rt. Hon. Lord A. Browne

Lt. Col. Lord Alfred Eden Browne D.S.O. (1878 - 1918) commanded the 186th Brigade of The Royal Artillery in WWI, during which time he was awarded his D.S.O. for conspicuous gallantry, his citation states he "displayed great skill in artillery rearguard actions, remaining in action until the last moment, running it very fine on three occasions, and then withdrawing by batteries or sections at a time". The action took place during the German offensive known as Operation Michael, one of the German final attempts to break the stalemate in early 1918. Browne was killed in action only a few months later at the Sensée River in France.

Additional information