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A couple of Fraser's patented 1880 sidelever stalking rifles from my personal collection.

Gun #1

Dan’l Fraser - Scotland. Best Quality 303 British 1880 Takedown Single Shot Sporting Rifle
Completed 1903

Dan’l Fraser “Velux” 303 British 1880 takedown sidelever single shot. This very fine rifle has a 26" full file cut ribbed bbl, with dovetailed in front sight, which has a flip-up night sight and hood. The rear sight has one standing, and two folding leaves (graduated for 300 yards.) Original scope mounts are also dovetailed into the rib. The bbl is marked "Danl. Fraser & Co. Gun & Rifle Manufacturers. 4 Leith St. Terrace Edinburgh." and has scroll engraving in front of the address, and in two areas near the rear scope base. The action shows 90% coverage of extremely well executed English shaded scroll engraving, with Celtic borders. The opening lever is also scroll engraved to match the action, and has a detent lock in the thumb piece. The action internals are gold plated. Top tang has "safe" inlaid into a gold rectangle with automatic safety, and a red enamel dot to indicate when safety is in fire position. The action is marked on the top, "Frasers Patent No. 278." (patent use number) Trigger guard is engraved the serial number 2251. Nicely streaked European walnut pistol grip butt stock measures 14-1/2" over coarsely checkered horn butt plate. Stock has a sling eye, a gold shield with the initials and a horn grip cap. The forend has a Deeley type takedown lever, and horn "Alexander Henry" type tip. The Davidson patent telescope is marked, "Danl. Fraser & Co. Gun & Rifle Manufacturers. 4 Leith St." is also marked "Sole Patentees & Manufacturers." Rear scope ring is marked with the serial number 2251 inside dovetail. Leather case has brass corners, and a newly applied brass plate on top. The interior has a Daniel Fraser label, another label with directions for use of the Fraser patent telescopic sight, and a label describing Fraser Velux .303 rifle, with instructions for mounting the bbl, cleaning etc. The case contains a round pewter oil bottle. This rifle is described and pictured on pg. 236 of Jonathon Kirton's book "The British Falling Block Breechloading Rifle from 1865" It is interesting to note that there were fewer than 410 Fraser single shot rifles ever made.

PROVENANCE: Ron Kiser Estate Collection.

Gun#2

Dan’l Fraser - Scotland. Best Miniature 22H 1880 Takedown Single Shot Sporting Rifle
Completed 1904

Dan’l Fraser, Scotland. Magnificent and extremely scarce miniature sidelever 1880 patented best quality action with full coverage ornate scroll engraving. The gun most likely started life out as a 22WCF and was later marked 22 Hornet. Barrel measures 26” with a full length rib, factory claw mounts, express sights and front integral sight. Zeiss optics 1.5x6x42, highly figured pistolgrip stock with royal warrant crest for the Duke of Cornwall. Slender Henry forend and horn tip. Case colored action body retains full colour and grip cap, nitre blued screws, sights, slings, and triggers. This rifle is described and pictured on pg. 236 of Jonathon Kirton's book "The British Falling Block Breechloading Rifle from 1865" It is interesting to note that there were fewer than 410 Fraser single shot rifles ever made.

PROVENANCE: Duke Cornwall Edward VIII. King of Great Britain, Ireland and the British
Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India.

Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; later The Duke of Windsor; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) was King of Great Britain, Ireland, the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India from the death of his father, George V (1910–36), on 20 January 1936, until his abdication on 11 December 1936. He was the second monarch of the House of Windsor, his father having changed the name of the Royal house from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1917. Before his accession to the throne, Edward VIII held the titles of Prince Edward of York, Prince Edward of Cornwall and York, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, and Prince of Wales (all with the style Royal Highness). As a young man he served in World War I, undertook several foreign tours on behalf of his father, and was associated with a succession of older married women. Only months into his reign, Edward forced a constitutional crisis by proposing marriage to the American divorcée Wallis Simpson. Although legally Edward could have married Mrs. Simpson and remained king, his various prime ministers opposed the marriage, arguing that the people would never accept her as queen. Edward knew that the ministry of British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin would resign if the marriage went ahead; this could have dragged the King into a general election thus ruining irreparably his status as a politically neutral constitutional monarch. Rather than give up Mrs. Simpson, Edward chose to abdicate, making him the only monarch of Britain, and indeed any Commonwealth Realm, to have voluntarily relinquished the throne. He is one of the shortest-reigning monarchs in British history, and was never crowned. After his abdication he reverted to the style of a son of the sovereign, The Prince Edward, and was created Duke of Windsor on 8 March 1937. During World War II he was at first stationed with the British Military Mission to France, but after private accusations that he was pro-Nazi, was moved to the Bahamas as Governor and Commander-in-Chief. After the war he was never given another official appointment and spent the remainder of his life in retirement.

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