Those who purchased cased sets of Purdeys new in bygone times were not mad, but simply affluent. Incredibly rich, usually, as members of the peerage or even royalty. In their social circles they would have been considered mad to not own a Purdey!

Today incredibly rich people are still ordering brand new Purdeys and the like, and not raising an eyebrow.

It is left to we plebs to skimp and save, usually involving extreme sacrifice, in order to own just the older well-used Purdeys and their ilk. Indeed, we could be accused of 'lunacy' for such extreme economic prioritizing, but the original owners were merely following accepted social practices without a second thought.

Thank God it is actually achievable for Mr Average to own a 'best' gun today, even though it will invariably be pre-owned. The chance of a minimum wage earner of a hundred years ago actually owning a cased set of London sidelock ejectors in any condition was an absolute zero!

Long may the madness continue....