A Very Fine Cased Joseph Egg 14 bore Double Barrelled Percussion Sporting Gun, 42” overall, 26” twist sighted barrels signed ‘Joseph Egg No. 1, Piccadilly, London Inventor of copper caps’ on the rib, struck with the serial number 2720, the barrelsmith’s mark ‘CA’ and London Proof marks beneath, numbered breeches with platinum plugs, engraved case hardened breech tang decorated with scrolling foliage, case hardened locks engraved with scrolling foliage & a curling serpent signed ‘Joseph Egg’ & fitted with hammers en suite. Highly figured walnut half stock with chequered fore-end & grip, steel mounts engraved with scrolls of foliage, comprising trigger guard with ‘Purdey’s’ grip safety & foliage on the bow, butt plate, rear ramrod pipe, vacant silver oval escutcheon, barrel bolt escutcheons, engraved trigger plate with pineapple finial & brass tipped ramrod. In it’s relined brass cornered mahogany case with lifting ring handle complete with accessories including embossed copper flask by G. & J. W. Hawksley, leather shot bag, Dixon Patent shot belt, German Silver percussion cap dispenser, embossed leather shot flask, mainspring clamp, two turnscrews, nipple wrench, loading rod, large oil bottle, cap tin & wad cutter.
No. 2720 Circa 1824.
Very fine guns in very good condition, unusual to see the use of Purdey’s Patent grip safety, mint bores. Trade label is a modern copper plate engraved replacement.
Joseph Egg is recorded at no. 1 Piccadilly 1814-34. His copper cap percussion lock musket was tried and rejected by the Ordnance in 1820.