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Don,

I have the following information from a friend who is a leading dealer of fine guns and who wishes to remain anonymous in two separate e-mails. An e-mail to you (from me) follows this post:

Mail No 1:

What a cracking rifle !
Thanks for providing the link.
That`s got to be one of Dan`ls own creations......which dates it to the late 1890s I suppose and, as such, has to be a VERY early take-down.
Can`t remember the old mans date of death but it was c.1900......maybe 1899 or 1901. His sons weren`t in the same league and the business failed not too many years later. Unfortunately the firms records no longer exist......got lost with all the changes of ownership. Now owned by the current Dickson & MacNaughton concern.

Can`t argue with you re Scots gunmakers - as you know I really rate them as they were remarkable innovators. I have one of Daniel Frasers patent hammerless ejector boxlock shotguns - a superb and incredibly rare gun which epitomises the ideal of the American upland game gun.....except that it is a sensible weight and not an 8lb lardarse. Congratulations to Don on his latest acquisition.......something rather different than the `usual` collectible Mauser. Nice that it`s in .303 as well.

Mail No 2:

By the way, I forgot to mention that the initials are under a coronet which means that it was built for an Earl or Duke.
The serial number is pretty close to that on my shotgun ( 2310 ) which we were able to date to c.1896.
Just had a another look at the pictures and have seen that Don has responded........dealing with both points above........................
I refuse to believe that the rifle was built by the junior Frasers......although it`s possible that the old man started the build which was completed by his sons.
The engraving is top class - although appear to be a little worn in places - reminiscent of that on my shotgun. Nice that the scrolls are contained within a Celtic rope border - a Daniel Fraser `signature`. I`ve no idea who the engraver was but he was one of the absolute best and should be easy enough to identify by someone who has the appropriate knowledge.
If the monogram can be identified, remaining family members might have access to records that would identify the delivery date of the rifle......possibly even the commission date.

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