John MacPherson of Inverness, made in 1930
12 Gauge, A & D Ejector, side-by-side shotgun
£2250
We are very pleased to offer this unusual gun from John Macpherson of Inverness, the outstanding features of this gun being the broad back action and elevated Churchill type rib with both barrels choked at 3/4 indicating it was built as a specialist bird gun.
The gun is in excellent condition inside and out with crisp scroll engraving and the action retaining much original colour. Fitted with a finely figured stock and finished off with a slim horn heeplate. The barrels are true inside and out and the bores are perfect, the rib fitted with a larger end bead and small mid bead.
In order to prepare the gun for sale we have given the gun a full service, strip and clean and the stock and fore-end wood has been sympathetically cleaned, re-oiled and the chequering cleaned out. The barrels and the furniture has been re-blacked, and all the pins blued.
Specification
- Price: £2250
- Action: Anson & Deeley, top lever with Scott spindle and Purdey bolt, Anson push-rod fore-end
- Gauge: 12
- Barrel Material: Steel
- Barrel Length : 28in
- Chambers: 2 1/2in
- Proof: Birmingham Nitro Proof at 13/1 (.719)
- Bores: .724 (R) & .728 (L)
- Walls: .022 (R) & .024 (L)
- Chokes : 3/4 (R) & 3/4 (L)
- Ejectors: Yes, Southgate type
- Stock dimensions: 1 5/8in drop at comb, 2in drop at heel, 14 1/2in at heel, 14 3/8in to centre, 14 3/4in at toe
- Cast Off: 3/8in
- Weight: 6lb 8oz
- Location: Dunkeld
John Macpherson of Inverness
Gun and fishing tackle makers in Inverness was big business in the late 19th Century - the sporting suppliers of John Graham & Co, D. Gray & Co, Hugh Snowie & Son and Donald Watson were all competition for the firm of John MacPherson.
The business of John MacPherson was actually established by Duncan MacPherson as a fishing tackle maker at 5 Drummond Street in 1887. John was born and raised in Newtonmore, and at the age of 18, he moved to Inverness to take over his uncles shop. In 1900 he moved the sporting shop to 24 Church street where they were trading as gun and fishing tackle makers, taxidermists and furriers.
John Macpherson married Jessie Ann Grant in 1905 in Inverness and they went on to have six children in total; two boys and four girls. After leaving school, his sons. James (Hamish) and Allan Grant served apprenticeships in London and Birmingham to become gunsmiths and fishing tackle makers. Their London apprenticeship was carried out at Gamages Department Store in Holborn, and included all-round training in how to manage a shop/store. The brothers returned to their father’s business in Inverness after their training, the business becoming John MacPherson & Sons, Hamish and Allan later becoming partners in the company. A sporting branch was opened in Kingussie in the 1920's, run by Robert MacPherson, and the business in Inverness moved in 1922 to 8 Inglis street and then next door to 6 Inglis street in 1926. The business name changed to John MacPherson & Sons, finally expanding to take up both 6 & 8 Inglis street from 1955.
John died on the 24th January 1948 at his home, the grand property of 'Raliadh' just outside Inverness city centre, the business was run by his sons Allan and Hamish, until it closed in 1976 when they both retired. John's youngest daughter Johan Grant MacPherson (known as Joey) also worked in the family shop alongside Hamish and Allan. She had originally trained and worked as a Domestic Science teacher, and was an inspector in the NAAFI during the war. Joey then joined her brothers and father at the sporting emporium, but never became a partner. For many years, her time was divided between looking after her mother and sister who were in ill health, and working in the shop. Joey passed away in 2016 at the grand age of 103 years old.
John played shinty as a young man, and remained a key supporter of shinty throughout his life. Although the business started as a fishing tackle maker it soon expanded into a sporting emporium, supplying a range of equipment for Highland pursuits, including shinty. At the height of the business, John employed 3 caman (shinty stick) makers in the shop to meet the demand and became the first commercial manufacturer of camans and balls. He made a name for himself in producing light, well-constructed hickory camans. Hamish MacPherson was quoted as saying “My father played for Inverness in 1910. He was a good player, not very big, but was a wee devil on the field, they used to say.”