Sorry folks. Been busy catching up with a few things pending my rather enjoyable absence.
Firstly, before I proceed any further, let me tell you what you all know, Grumpy is a fine kind gentleman of the first rate and he is a walking encyclopaedia, of not just firearms but almost anything under the sun.
Prior to meeting Grumpy, I asked him not to come forth to meet me as I wanted to spot him without him coming to me. As he, in his fleece jacket, and Wobbit Bosher from Internetgunclub.com walked past me, I didn’t even look at them. I was expecting a tweed clad pukka British type. He smiled and called me and told me that he didn’t expect me to spot him. Speak of stereotypes.
As we walked in, there was a treat waiting for us. Many people, most in camo and shooting jackets, keenly and enthusiastically inspecting and assessing assorted guns,rifles,ammo,fishing tackle, sporting/hunting books, paintings and sundry other appurtenance that would be of interest to an outdoorsman. As we started going through the catalogue and pick each gun that was of interest, Grumpy started explaining the maker, his/their history, place in history, qualities that distinguish their guns and the characteristics of the guns themselves.
For example, guns by Pape of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who was considered to be the finest provincial gun maker, invented chokes etc. BTW, Grumpy bought a Pape hammer gun in nice condition. He made me shoulder a 12 bore Marocchi skeet O/U with 29” barrel and then try a game gun by Browning. Gentlemen, you instantly understand why a trap/skeet gun shot pre-mounted is a useless club for game shooting and not vice versa. I will never take a trap or skeet gun for game shooting.
There were guns of all types by various British makers, Cogswell & Harrison, Chas Osbourne, Purdey, Pape, Pollard, Jeffery, Westley Richards etc, ( just to name a few) and other continental makes like AyA,Merkel, Lebaeau Corally, Brownings, Berettas, Rizzinis, Lanbers, FNs etc, and of course the ubiquitous Baikal. There even was a drilling of unusual combination with 16x16x7.8mm. The 7.8mm, according to Grumpy, is an unheard calibre. There was a little combination gun, barrel length 19.5” by Kleszczewski of Berlin with one barrel in .410bore and the other in .22 .
There were, of course, a lot of rifles by many popular makers.
Before it gets tedious for you to read, let me jump to the auction. Imagine auctioning nearly 700 items to almost 60-70 enthusiastic and determined bidders and the pace at which the auctioneer has to carry on. The speed did not prevent him from indulging in the exercise of a razor sharp wit and silence an occasional unruly bidder.
Here we go. Caution, if you experience tears rolling down your cheeks, stomach knotting up, fists clenching, loud groans escaping your throats or you find seething with anger, please understand and take pleasure/succour/relief (pick one or all )in the fact that all your emotions were experienced by me at a rather higher intensity.
Sundry .22 bolt rifles, semis, pumps by Ruger, Remington,Brnos etc went from £5- 30.
.222 Brno bolt rifle -£ 180
.243 Husqvarna bolt rifle- £120
.30/06 BSA bolt rifle- 160
.243 Sako bolt rifle- wink
Many Chinese air rifles,fresh out of box, did not even go for a pound!
Shotguns-
12 Bore Browning A1- £ 700
20 Bore Browning B25 -£3000
12 Bore Beretta sidelock ejector SO2- 900
12 Bore Browning B325- 620
The Marocchi skeet gun in absolutely great condition and solidly built that I tried went for £200.
12Bore Westley Richards boxlock- £3200
12Bore Hammer Purdey- £400
Assorted fine English hammer guns in fine condition, lets say that would last another 100 years with good care, went for prices that would leave you flabbergasted. ( from £50 to £400) with a few going into thousands.
The 12bore sidelock pair by AyA with Churchill rib and 25” barrels, detachable locks etc, went for £600 each. I loved these guns with the way they came unto my shoulder and locked onto where I pointed them.Damn pretty little things.
But, the sidelock pair of Lebeau Corally in pristine condition and stole my heart went for £4200.Grumpy feels that they would fetch at least double the amount in any other larger auction. They were pretty to say the least.
Mehul, a Darne gun went for £150
penpusher, two WW Greener GPs went for £50 and £15.
Rusty, sorry mate, two Browning Belgian A5s in good working order went for £55 and £30. And 2 spare barrels went for £5.
I know you won’t forgive me for rubbing it in, but that was the truth. Imagine my condition witnessing the proceedings.
As I stood clutching the three doubles and the Sako .243 in the cold wind making my jaws clattering, we joked about “Lock stock and seven smoking barrels”.
We drove past the Stonehenge towards Grumpy’s home to be welcomed by his four canines.
In the morning, he treated me to all his guns and for two days I sat there just holding them and talking to him. The 30/06 Schultz and Larsen is one quality rife and it stands rock solid as I take aim. The .243 Zoli looks much more beautiful than in pics and rests so light in my hands. The quality of fit, finish and the deep lustrous blue is so very eye friendly. The Jefferey’s 12 SXS again handles like a true English game gun. The Valmet Fin classic is so well made that it made me think very hard. Grumpy warned me that he was going to show me something that would break my heart and then brought in this 20 Bore Caesar Guerni Magnus Jaspe O/U. This little gun is so well made that it would put many a Beretta and a Browning to shame. It jumps onto your shoulder so easily and lock onto the target you are thinking of instinctively and swings without any conscious effort. I have decided that it is going to be on top of my shotgun wish list.
The Pollard's
The Jeffery
The Schultz & Larsen and the Sako
Keri, his wife, is such a fine lady with a nice sense of humour. Both go to great trouble to feed many birds that visit their backyard. We spoke so much about guns, history, politics and everything else that the two days flew by in a blink. Grumpy knows more about India, the Independence movement, its leaders than many Indians and the respect he has for them so sadly lacks among our native sons. In the evening both of us went to Tesco’s in the “Village” called Street for some shopping. Grumpy is an excellent cook and he treated me to some delectable morsels. As he drove me to Bristol bus station, he invited me again to visit me so that he could arrange some shooting.
Amigos, take off the guns, who would go to these pains of befriending an hitherto unseen person and hosting him so well. I learnt so much from him in these two days than in the years I spent on the net reading about guns. I am fortunate to have met this fine man and call him a friend. Grumpy, kindly accept my sincere thanks.
Mehul, unfortunately, I did not take any pictures at the auction and I am afraid I do not figure in them. Shall do so in you what is coming up next.
Thank you all for going through this lengthy piece.
Best-
Vikram
So far, none of his reports has had a picture of him.
I am staying in the wrong country for sure. Born in India and still living here..... how on earth we can compare wit the prices in these auctions???????????