PURDEY: GUN & RIFLE MAKERS: THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY

PURDEY: GUN & RIFLE MAKERS: THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY There is no gun-maker personally better known than Mr. Purdey; there is none less written about, wrote Teasdale-Buckell in Experts on Guns & Shooting in 1900. The name James Purdey & Sons is universally respected & known the world over as makers of finest quality guns. Established by James Purdey the elder in 1816, Purdey built best quality guns, rifles & pistols to the highest standards, right from the start. Patronized by European royalty & nobility, they could claim to have built guns for all the nine kings attending King Edward V11s funeral in 1910. Today the firm still continues the tradition began in 1816. James Purdey the Elders son, James Purdey the Younger, took over the running of the firm in 1858 & was responsible for developing the muzzle-loading rifle to its pinnacle, the Express rifle. In 1863 in the early breech-loading period, he invented the most famous closing action of all time, the Purdey bolt. He was quick to see the advantages of the hammerless gun & astute in purchasing & developing the Beesley hammerless action of 1880 that is universally admired today. He created guns of great style & elegance & established the form of the hammerless ejector for all others to follow. At the turn of the century, James Purdey the Youngers son Athol Purdey guided the firm through the difficult World War One period. His sons Tom Purdey & Jim Purdey took over during the 1930s depression & kept the firm on course during World War Two & the post war years, continuing to produce guns to the highest standards. Donald Dallas has produced several appendices of interest to the Purdey owner & collector. Purdey serial numbers are listed for the years 1816_2000 to assist with dating guns, production figures are given to show the rarity of certain weapons, all the Purdey patents are described & of particular interest are the Purdey gunmakers, names to help identify initials stamped on the various parts of Purdey guns. Illustrated with over 130 color photos & more that 300 b&w plates & drawings, all on coated paper this large format book is a high quality production. ISBN: 1-899163-63-8 publish date: 08/15/2007