Mr. Pit picked up a rare one.

[pitfighter]

I sold one of my beloved classic motorcycles for this one.
But, some things only come along once in a lifetime.
A delightful paradox - originally conceived on a Colt SAA frame by an English Victoria Cross winning army Officer; Webley ended up producing this - on their frame - in limited numbers, less than 6000.
Scrounged in a flea-market in Columbus, Ohio, it took the slow boat to China to get here.
It is now in Mr. Pit's collection for the rest of his lifetime for sure.
*See "The Maltese Falcon" for a nice screen mention by Mr. Bogart.



A smiling Pit.

[JAGGUY]

Is that an "automatic" revolver?

[pitfighter]

That is the "paradox", Jagguy - he also patented a rifled-shotgun, actually called the "Paradox" gun.

It was also a favorite of American shooting ace Walter Winans - who basically won every pistol shooting competition there was at the time with it.

http://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum/the-galleries/the-new-prosperity/case-44-the-mother-of-invention-cartridge-technology/webley-fosbery-model-1902-automatic-revolver.aspx

[chris_m90731]

Wow. What a find. Never even knew there was such a thing as an automatic revolver...

[bruceflinch]

Nice score! You're getting too old to ride those murdercycles anyway.

[ricky s]

holy crap! California guys are jealous of you being able to find these treasures in a flea market!!

[Mike A]

Ultra neat! Webley Fosberry .455. There's one in the Imperial War Museum collection in .38 ACP!

[VegasND]

That is a seriously fine acquisition.

Congratulations.

[harmoniums]

I've been looking for one for a while.
Anybody see's one come up, please send the info my way, there's cash waiting.

[dfletcher]

You know, if you had the cylinder rechambered it to 45 ACP you'd probably save lots of money on ammo .....

[pitfighter]

They show up quite often - most of these auctions are over or long dead, but try contacting them, in many cases the revolver didn't sell, and sometimes they will be interested in making a commission from a lower selling price - or know where a Fosbery may be residing in the collection of a customer needing cash. These are trying economic times afterall.

I saw a nickel .38 with jeweled screw heads in Phoenix at the SAR show - $15K - but a pile of cash would probably get you it for $10K. It did not sell.

Poulin antiques sold one for $6K and change.

http://www.poulinantiques.com/press_release.asp

http://collectorebooks.com/gregg01/eurorevolver/Lot-3041.htm

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=3032541

I can usually find two or three at any time in the $8500 to $9500 range - but I wanted one that I could afford.

http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?ItemId=108146

http://www.icollector.com/Webley-Fosbery-SA-Revolver_i11872247

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/11373720_webley-fosbery-pistol

http://www.icollector.com/WEBLEY-FOSBERY-SEMI-AUTO-REVOLVER_i987663

http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/british-webley-fosbery-first-model-automatic-revo-1-c-c0cxda2zcb

FWIW - Fosbery's are sometimes found a little cheaper in the UK, but be prepared for a lot of paperwork to export, there is a well respected legal firm in WA who charge about $250 a firearm to import from Europe.

Good hunting,

Pit.

[Anubis Laughed]

Very nice find!

[pitfighter]

This little issue is sorted out now, a sticky connector - remember this example was purchased in 1906. But, for a few seconds it was quite exciting!

*sorry - vid pulled.

Pit.

PS - I was pulling the trigger very quickly, Ed McGivern style - took me ten years and 30,000 rounds of .455 MKII to learn that kind of trigger work.

[Cessnapilot89]

This makes me want to get a Webley. Dang it! I said no more guns this year!

[John Browning]

Hey, is that a Chiappa?

Nice score.