Arms, Armor and Militaria

.470 Nitro Express. 26.75" barrel length. SN: 12049. Blued metal finish with case colored frame and small parts mounting highly figured walnut semi pistol grip stock with leather wrapped recoil pad and front and rear sling swivel studs. Single shot falling block Farquharson action rifle mounting four position rear notch and white bead front sights. Rifle was custom built on a Webley 1902 action by American gunsmiths, and displays fine workmanship as rebuilt. Caliber marking to the left barrel is engraved in Gothic script and reads 470 Nitro Exp. Aside from this marking and the rear breechblock with British {Crown/BV} proof marking, the exterior of the rifle is void of extraneous markings with a clean polished appearance. Beneath the handguard, the barrel is struck 4/96/S.R.H., indicating the metalwork was completed by Stephen Heilmann in April of 1996. Interior of the forend bears the D HENSLEY signature of Darwin Hensley, Stockmaker and gunsmith. Barrel is further marked .470 NITRO/KRIEGER/1-14, again below the handguard. The frame features floral scrollwork borders with Arabesque accents over a finely beaded ground, and gold plated seeds to each flower. Gold inlaid borders outline the frame, the barrel, and the pistol grip cap. The latter component features additional Arabesques with a gold accent. The finish and engraving all show the characteristic work of Stephen Heilmann as evinced in his body of work. Stock features an outlined cheek pad to the left comb, and bordered multipoint checkering to the wrist and forend. All borders feature a clean scalloped edge, a trademark of stockmaker Darwin Hensley.

Stephen R. Heilmann began his gunmaking career in 1970, as a student at the Colorado School of Trades. In 1973, he opened his first business called simply The Gunworks, in Grass Valley, California. He quickly established his excellence in the field, so much so, that by 1980 it became necessary to establish a larger business to keep up with demand. In 1985, he joined the American Custom Gunmakers Guild, and continued to repair, rebuild, and produce custom guns until his passing on September 15, 2024. The front and rear sight bases exhibit the smooth contoured patterns favored by Heilmann, lending the rifle a subdued appearance despite the gold highlights.

Darwin Hensley's work, both as a stockmaker and gunmaker, commands deep respect in the gunmaking community. He was a member of the American Custom Gunmakers Guild, and founded Hensley and Hensley, which still persists after his retirement. While there were other competing stockmakers willing to use elaborately figured walnut, and who eagerly displayed their skills by working sumptuous carved designs into their work, Hensley's stocks bear a subtle grace exemplified in this lot. An elegant and beautifully executed collaborative work by two of America's finest modern gunsmiths. {MODERN}