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Seller's description "JOHN DICKSON & SON (63 PRINCES STREET, EDINBUROUGH) DOUBLE RIFLE UNDERLEVER .430 BORE 28" BBL WOOD STOCK, USED GUN 88% CONDITION"

Bores are excellent. Standard (non-Henry) rifling. Rifle has seen extensive use and case colors are almost entirely gone except for inside of underlever. Engraving is still quite sharp. Rear sight is a shallow 'V' that I find surprisingly easy to use.

Dickson's has provided their records, showing the rifle was delivered in October 1888.

The workshop ledger entry notes
Delivery of a second quality double centre fire breach loading rifle in .450 with Jones rotary underlever. Conventional stock measurements with pistol-grip finished with steel heelpate. Weight 9lbs, 3ozs. Original cost was £35, including a case. (This would be £5,820 today, or $6462 US$. My actual investment, including fees and minor repairs, was substantially less. I didn't get the case, but that's ok

They nicely included information on the original owner:

What we know about the original owner
Francis John Carruthers was born on the 15th March 1868 at the family home of Dormont House, Dalton, Lanarkshire. He was the son of William Francis Carruthers (10th of Dormont) and Fanny Madeliene Turner.

He joined the military and made it his lifetime career. He was Lieutenant-Colonel to the late Kings Own Scottish Borderers, which involved campaigns in Egypt in 1888 and in South Africa during 1900-02. He married Olive Christian Johnstone-Douglas, daughter of Arthur Henry Johnstone-Douglas and Jane Maitland Hathorn-Stewart, on the 20th Dec 1905. He was also a Brigadier for the Royal Company of Archers, Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries, Queen’s Bodyguard for Scotland in 1900 and Deputy Assistant Director at the War Office, 1915-19. He then went on to become Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in 1917 as well as Honorary Colonel 1931-1936, 5th Battalion before his appointment as H.M. Lieutenant in 1935 and C.B. in 1943. He died on the 22nd May 1945.

The Carruthers family were good customers of Dickson’s, Francis John’s father buying a number of guns and both Francis John (No. 4210) and his brother, William Frederick (No. 4186) receiving guns for their 21st Birthdays.

Edited by CJF (25/09/23 01:10 AM)

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