A renowned engraver has been reunited with a gun he designed, before it goes under the hammer in an auction expected to draw in crowds from all over the world.
The sale at Gleneagles Hotel will feature a variety of rare and classic guns.
One of the biggest draws is expected to be the Phoenix, a 12-bore side lock gun featuring the work of renowned engraver Malcolm Appleby MBE which is expected to sell for between £40,000 and £60,000.
All of the guns and rifles will be available to view this weekend, before the auction on Monday evening, and Mr Appleby stopped by for another look at his handiwork before it finds a new owner.
Organiser Gavin Gardiner said; “We don’t see many of Malcolm Appleby’s guns, most of them are in private collections.
“I sold one about 10 years ago and one in the 90s so this is only the third I have sold in my 35-year career, making it quite special.
“He is a tremendous artist and quite a character too so it was great to be able to reunite him with a piece of his work.”
The gun is engraved in typical Appleby style with flowing plumage, talons and highly detailed stylised themes based around the mythical phoenix.
Mr Gardiner sold a so-called Crocodile gun engraved by Mr Appleby for £48,000 at auction in Gleneagles in 2009.
A respected goldsmith who lives in Perthshire, Mr Appleby has had prestigious commissions, including the Scottish Lace gun, the Woodcock gun, the Raven for the Royal Armories and the Pike, which sold at Sotheby’s Gleneagles in 1994.
His distinctive engravings are often inspired by nature.
He is also known for his work on the orb of the Prince of Wales Coronet, the seal for the Victoria and Albert Museum and the silver centrepiece for the Scottish Parliament.
He was made an MBE for his engraving skills in the 2014 New Years Honours.
This year’s sale at Gleneagles, will be the 51st annual event and will feature 170 modern and vintage sporting guns from as far back as 1860.
The line-up includes firearms by well-known makers such as J Purdey and Sons, Holland and Holland, Woodward, William Evans and Westley Richards.
Mr Gardiner added: “We’re expecting a busy weekend this year, we usually see clients from all over the world.”
