A rare cased 4-bore percussion Elephant rifle

BY CHARLES OSBORNE, BIRMINGHAM, CIRCA 1850

Details

A rare cased 4-bore percussion Elephant rifle
By Charles Osborne, Birmingham, circa 1850
With massive browned twist barrel with top flat, cut with five wide grooves and sighted to 200 yards, signed 'Chas. Osborne London' in gold gothic letters within scrollwork at the breech, and stamped with Hyderabad armoury number on the underside, scroll engraved case-hardened patent breech with two gold lines and platinum plug, scroll engraved case-hardened tang, signed case-hardened lock engraved en suite, ebonised half-stock (minor bruising) inlaid with gold wire scrollwork terminating in small leaves and flowers, chequered grip and fore-end, scroll engraved blued iron mounts, silver escutcheon, iron sling mounts, horn fore-end cap, and much original finish (barrel lightly spotted): in relined and refitted brass-bound mahogany case with accessories, some ivory-mounted, including Hawksley leather-covered flask, and original wad cutter and brass bullet mould, Birmingham proof marks
34in. (86.3cm.)

Lot Essay

Charles Osborne is recorded as Gunmaker & Factor in Birmingham 1841-1853, and as Charles Osborne & Co from 1855. He was appointed Guardian of the Birmingham proof house in 1858, and died in 1871.

A similar rifle is illustrated in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Early Firearms of Great Britain and Ireland From the Collection of Clay Bedford, No. 99, p. 101

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