James Purdey & Sons are London’s preeminent gun makers designers and builders of fine English shotguns and sporting firearms the company was founded in 1814 and has been making guns for England’s royalty and the world’s upper classes for over 190 years. Purdey & Sons’ first royal commission given by Queen Victoria was for a pair of pistols which were presented to the Imam of Oman in 1838. Since then the firm has always had great influence on the market for elite sporting firearms and produced arms during both world wars; Purdey & Sons was an important contributor of wartime materials. After World War II Purdey & Sons was commended by the British government and was awarded a Medal of the British Empire for their support of the war effort. Purdey & Sons’ guns are considered to be among the finest shotguns one can buy. Famous for their innovative gun manufacturing from original flintlocks to single trigger mechanisms for shotguns the company has continually led the way in the development of the sporting gun. The company’s products have often exceeded government safety standards and have consistently met the exacting demands of the most ardent collectors and sportsmen. Each gun is individually made and is tested for balance and accuracy by Purdey & Sons’ experts. To ensure the quality of its products prospective buyers must travel to London for preliminary measurements which insure optimal synergy between the gun and its user. Purdey & Sons’ gun stocks are made from walnut chosen from the Dordogne forest in France and each part of the gun is crafted by specialists (who have all been trained in their craft at Purdey since their youth). For example wood is cut to match the individual buyer’s measurements with the metalwork for the gun being made at Purdey’s resulting in the highest level of quality. Whether its products are appreciated as the finest of sporting firearms or as collectible works of art Purdey & Sons has set a benchmark of manufacturing quality desirability and prestige which is almost unequaled in the gun-making world.