To help @AZDave’s sale out, I’ll mention what I see.
The gun was made between 1887-1904 as evidenced by the proof marks. The proof marks are Birmingham. It returned to the proof house between 1925-1954 for Nitro Proofing. The 13/1 indicates the original bore diameter 9” from the breach was around .719”, slightly tighter than the .729” precise measurement for 12 bore. Very common, nothing wrong with .719” when original. The 1-1/4 oz Nitro Proof was an option beginning in 1925, that’s how we can pinpoint 1925-1954 for Nitro Proofing and with a generous payload no less.
In 1921 Birmingham started adding letters to the top side of the crossed halberd proof mark to tell you the precise year of reproof. I cannot see the letter, but that would narrow the range of the nitro proofing.
The extractor rod/spur in the photo is split in half, indicating it is an Ejector Model, not an Extractor.
The gun has a beautiful chain Damascus pattern that has been blued over on the barrels. It would be stunning if it was rebrowned as the pattern is very attractive.
His stock dimensions when translated to fractions are 1-5/8” Drop at Comb and 2-3/8” drop at heel. Very, very standard. The horn butt plate is likely original (plastic didn’t exist yet) and the stock at the butt is straight, making it very easy to add a 1” london orange pad and get the shotgun to a very desirable modern 15-1/8” length of pull.
The left barrel clearly says choke, meaning that that barrel had at least .003” constriction or more when new. I cannot see in the photo all the nomenclature for the right barrel, but assuming it does not say choke, it would have most likely been the versatile and popular Cylinder/Full or Cylinder/Improved Modified configuration when new. I cannot guarantee that because A.) I don’t see enough of the proof marks to be declarative on whether the right barrel had choke or not, and B.) people could order anything they wanted, and C.) What it had originally doesn’t mean that is what it has at present.
The gun was not a ball and shot gun intended for slugs or buckshot in one barrel, it was absolutely designed as an upland bird gun from the start.
You cannot measure choke on an English gun using a dime, nor can you use a “plunger type” choke gauge that goes into the muzzle. The reason being is that a modern gun by default has a bore diameter of .729” and those rough-guess techniques are assuming .729” whereas we can see definitively the bore diameter was originally .719” or 13/1, thus you need an internal choke gauge to measure the actual nominal bore diameter minus the constriction at the muzzle…plunging something in the muzzle won’t tell you that.
The figure on the English walnut looks great. No obvious signs of oil leeching into the head of the stock. The checkering is gunky but appears crisp, ten minutes with a soft bristle toothbrush and some detergent would greatly enhance that, followed by 5 mins with some boiled linseed oil rubbed on the overall stock would close a few pores and erase surface marks.
The gun was brought to the new world in the modern era by the importer Simpson, meaning it hasn’t been in America for a long period of time.
That’s all I can tell from a photo, but hopefully it enriches the ad. GLWS.
