JAMES PURDEY AND SONS: GUN AND RIFLE MAKERS.TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF EXCELLENCE. By Donald Dallas. Special Edition for James Purdey and Sons.

2013 1st edition - special edition for sale only through Purdeys. Large 4to (260 x 315mm). Pp472. Colour photographs throughout, bibliography, pictorial endpapers, silk marker. Black cloth, spine titled in gilt. This issue has a different dust-wrapper to the trade edition, and a different ISBN number - 9781846891915.

This is Donald Dallas's eighth book investigating the history of British gunmakers. "This magnificent book, ...details the history of James Purdey and Sons, the British gunmaker universally respected and known the world over as makers of the finest quality guns. The author includes several appendices including serial numbers to assist with dating guns, as well as production figures to show the rarity of each. All patents are described, plus the Purdey gunmakers named to help identify initials stamped on the parts." Appendices give serial numbers and production figures. Foreword by the Duke of Edinburgh. Although based on the earlier book, "Purdey: gun and rifle makers. the definitive history." (2000), this is a completely rewritten and newly illustrated book.