Fine Arms 101
Vintage firearms are valued for their rarity , style , condition and provenance . Some sporting arms may carry the provenance of famed African hunter Denys Finch Hatton or the Griffin & Howe of film legend Gary Cooper .
As a sport long enjoyed by the gentry and wealthy , firearms associated with royalty like France ’ s King Louis Philippe I , England ’ s Earl of Lonsdale , and King Carlos III of Spain , have been embellished to artistic heights , though their various levels of adornment and workmanship provide accessibility to all collectors . Whether for field or for display , artistry is a good place to start when investing in sporting arms .
Classic and well-regarded fine sporting arms put sig-
Above : James Purdey . 410 shotgun . Left : Top Holland and Holland , Bottom James Purdy
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