Just in time for autumn, we dedicate ourselves to the British, more precisely to the British landed aristocracy. Because when shooting with a shotgun, i.e. at targets that are moving fast, grouse for example, it is absolutely important that the weapon has an optimal balance. That’s why Purdey puts a lot of work into getting the balance right. It’s always a matter of taking weight away, keeping weight on, putting on weight, and that’s done here with very, very much care. People who go hunting with a Purdey and who know something about Purdeys say: Nothing else gives such a feeling of balance. It’s just like someone saying: There’s a feeling that you only have behind the wheel of a – let’s say, a Land Rover. And please don’t say it’s nothing special. It’s special. A Purdey is also a work of art, a product of hundreds of hours of work, polished to a high gloss, decorated by the best engravers, tailor-made to the particular body of a hunter. An incredibly sophisticated, finely crafted piece of luxury that simultaneously serves an extremely archaic purpose, i.e. combines highly civilized aesthetics and craftsmanship with primitive human primal instinct. More than ever, hunting as a sport is not for everyone, and nowadays carries more than a hint of provocation with it. In the British public, classic hunting is regarded as a special expression of a class society that – although officially declared dead for years – still shapes social life on the island. And anyone who has ever been invited to a hunting trip by a Swiss private bank knows exactly that the European mainland is also well aware of its stands.
The Long Room at Audley House in London is the most famous gun room in the world, where only customers who can afford at least the basic Purdey model, which costs around 50,000 euros, are admitted. James Purdey the Younger, the son of the company’s founder and great-great-grandfather of Richard Purdey, directed the company’s fortunes from here. James Purdey & Sons, Gun & Rifle Makers to Her Majesty the Queen, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, have as much in common with an ordinary hunting weapon manufacturer as the Patek Philippe manufactory has in common with a swatch factory. A “Purdey” is not just a handmade shotgun, it is a work of art, a product of hundreds of hours of work, polished to a high gloss, decorated by the best engravers, tailor-made to the hunter’s body. Through a light well in the middle of the room, he was able to look directly into the workshop below and at the same time receive his customers. The potential customer segment in the UK is now far too small, especially since a Purdey Gun lasts an eternity and is passed down through generations. For this reason, the main market has been the USA for several decades, where, in addition to wealthy hunting enthusiasts, there are also many collectors who do not buy their “Purdeys” for use, but as an object of value.
In addition to being an object of value, a Purdey Gun is also a cult object: an incredibly sophisticated, finely crafted piece of luxury that at the same time serves an extremely archaic purpose, i.e. combines highly civilized aesthetics and craftsmanship with primitive human primal instinct. Purdey sums it up in a British unpretentious way: “If you shoot a gun, it is to kill an animal.”
James Purdey & Sons Ltd,
57-58 S Audley St, London W1K 2ED, UK
https://www.purdey.com/
Editor’s Choice
Follow in the footsteps of movie stars, celebrities, writers and diplomats and stay at Althoff St. James’s Hotel & Club. Discover for yourself why guests appreciate this unique location so much, enjoy culinary delights and relax in one of the 60 luxurious rooms or suites. This 5-star boutique hotel in London is located in a quiet cul-de-sac in the heart of Mayfair, just minutes from Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Palace, the exclusive shops of Jermyn Street, Burlington Arcade, Bond Street, the Royal Academy of Arts and a short walk from the theatres and nightlife of London’s West End. YOU ARE WELCOME at Althoff St. James’s Hotel & Club in London. www.stjameshotelandclub.com
