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A Westley Richards & Co. 10g No. 4 Highest Quality Anson & Deeley Patent Hammerless Double Barrel Shotgun with Two Sets of Barrels.  

Very early and 100% usable example of the highest-grade A&D gun offered by Westley Richards & Co. made in the latter part of the 1800's and in sequence with our Best gun serial numbers, still used today.  

This gun features each option listed for this grade (e.g. Highest Quality) in adverts of the period. The gun has a very early shape to the patented Snap Lever top bolt and solid steel extension rib fastening (e.g. Model "C" Doll's Head rib extension) which was the only fastening bolt used on the A&D action at the time. According to the factory ledgers, this gun was finished in March of 1884 for J. Palmer O’Neil & Co. of Pittsburgh, PA.   

J. Palmer O’Neil & Co. was an early American agent for Westley Richards who originally marketed Westley Richards made guns under the trade name J. Palmer O’Neil & Co. 

After Westley Richards & Co. rose to international fame through its many contributions to modern gunnery, J.P.O’N & Co. still marketed Westley's guns, but under the actual maker’s name.   

The action sides of this gun feature an early example of the house engraving still used on our Best guns today, with small scroll pattern surrounding the Maker’s name in flowing banners and a pointing dog on the trigger bow. The cover plate and bottom of the action are fully engraved with a small scroll and seashell motif, a popular engraving theme on fine guns of the time.   
 

The gun is fitted with its original 31” Fine Damascus Steel barrels with a raised, flat engine turned rib that is engraved with the firm’s early 170 New Bond St. Address and “Highest Quality” denoting the grade of the gun. The original barrels retain some original brown in protected areas but are mostly gray but the pattern remains distinct. Bores measure .786” in both tubes and are choked .044” in the right and .040” in the left and have minimum wall thickness of .038” in the right barrel and .037” in the left. The barrels have 2 7/8” chambers.  

The gun was fitted up with a second set of 10g, 31” Fine Damascus Steel barrels, numbered 13993. This serial number from a gun also made for J.P. O’N & Co. and completed in April of 1884. This second set of barrels remain in excellent original condition with much of the original brown on the barrels with a very distinct Damascus pattern. They also remain in their original Birmingham proof, measuring .781” in each barrel with .028” choke in each muzzle with minimum wall thickness of .045” in the right barrel and .048” in the left barrel. The barrels also have 2 7/8” chambers.  

The gun retains its original, highly figured, semi-pistol grip stock with checkered side panels and traditional drop points and a 14 9/16” LOP over a horn butt that is both checkered and engraved/carved in matching scroll to the receiver. The original silver stock oval is mounted on the ball of the pistol grip (as prescribed in early company literature) and remains blank.  

The splinter forend has the traditional horn forend tip and is fitted with the patent Deeley & Edge forend fastener. Both the forend and grip are checkered in a point pattern with Mullered borders.   
 

Engraving on the receiver remains sharp and the action has traces of original color hiding among protected areas. Both sets of barrels are tight on face and free of any dents, bulges, or pits with shiny bores.  

The original stock remains unaltered and is also crack free.  

The gun comes complete in an oak & leather two-barrel flat case. 

I’m not real sure how the two sets of barrels were paired up with this gun, but It is my belief, judging from the type of case and trade label, that the second barrels (#13993) were fitted to the gun and all were cased together sometime in the 1920’s, when this case was made. I also believe the work was carried out by Westley Richards.   

All in all, the gun remains in excellent condition, both sets of barrels being sound and well maintained to offer many more years of service.  

According to the ledgers:  

#13849 Double Hammerless 10g completed 05/05/1884 for J.P. O’N & Co. 

No. 4 Highest Grade   

#13993 Double Hammerless 10g completed on 08/04/1884 for J.P. O’N & Co./A.G Spalding Bros. (for G. Smith).  

No. 4 Highest Grade 

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